George Kirby vs Bob Lemon: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Lemon has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). George Kirby has played 2022–present as a pitcher; Bob Lemon played 1941–1958 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
George Kirby (2022–present) and Bob Lemon (1941–1958) — breaking in during the 2020s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. George Kirby has 54 wins and 769 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Bob Lemon finished with 207 wins and 1,277 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Lemon, with 3.23 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Bob Lemon, with 207 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Lemon, with 1,277 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? George Kirby, with 1.17 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Lemon, with 2,850.0 to George Kirby's 812.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Lemon, with 31 to George Kirby's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? George Kirby, with 14,778 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Lemon's 14,410.
George Kirby
Bob Lemon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 2020s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
George Kirby is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | George Kirby | Bob Lemon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 45 | 128 |
| Games | 142 | Leads: 460 |
| Games Started | 142 | Leads: 350 |
| Complete Games | 2 | Leads: 188 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 31 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | 769 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Walks not scored | 140 | 1,251 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 813 | 2,559 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 181 |
| Innings Pitched | 812.1 | Leads: 2,850.0 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.23 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.52 | 4.03 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.55 | 3.95 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Kirby edges Bob Lemon 14,778 to 14,410 — driven by per-season impact — 3,695 PIV per season to 1,108 — rather than by longevity, since George Kirby played 4 seasons to Bob Lemon's 13. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
George Kirby — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Lemon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Lemon leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while George Kirby owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Lemon. Note that PIV actually grades George Kirby ahead, which means Bob Lemon's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Kirby and Bob Lemon careers compare
No season is shared: Bob Lemon played 1941–1958, George Kirby 2022–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: George Kirby has appeared in 142 games to Bob Lemon's 460. Where George Kirby comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (1.17 to 1.34), strikeouts per nine (8.52 to 4.03), and walks per nine (1.55 to 3.95). By rate, George Kirby struck out 8.52 and walked 1.55 per nine innings; Bob Lemon struck out 4.03 and walked 3.95. Both had the same role: George Kirby was mainly a starter (142 starts in 142 games); Bob Lemon was mainly a starter (350 starts in 460 games). George Kirby's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
George Kirby vs Bob Lemon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Kirby or Bob Lemon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Lemon leads George Kirby in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Lemon, with 3.23 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Lemon, with 207 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Lemon, with 1,277 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- George Kirby, with 1.17 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.