George Kirby vs Don Newcombe: Career Stats Comparison
Don Newcombe 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; Don Newcombe played 1949–1960 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 Don Newcombe (1949–1960) — 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; Don Newcombe finished with 153 wins and 1,185 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Don Newcombe, with 3.57 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Don Newcombe, with 153 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Newcombe, with 1,185 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? George Kirby, with 1.17 to Don Newcombe's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Newcombe, with 2,247.0 to George Kirby's 812.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Newcombe, with 24 to George Kirby's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Don Newcombe, with 20,184 career Pitcher PIV to George Kirby's 14,778.
George Kirby
Don Newcombe
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 | Don Newcombe |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 153 |
| Losses not scored | 45 | 96 |
| Games | 142 | Leads: 359 |
| Games Started | 142 | Leads: 305 |
| Complete Games | 2 | Leads: 145 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 24 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 7 |
| Strikeouts | 769 | Leads: 1,185 |
| Walks not scored | 140 | 528 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 813 | 2,185 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 255 |
| Innings Pitched | 812.1 | Leads: 2,247.0 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.57 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.52 | 4.75 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.55 | 2.11 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Newcombe outpaces George Kirby 20,184 to 14,778 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Don Newcombe played 14 seasons to George Kirby's 4, while George Kirby carries the higher per-season figure (3,695 to 1,442). 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)
Don Newcombe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Newcombe 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 Don Newcombe. PIV agrees: Don Newcombe grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Kirby and Don Newcombe careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Don Newcombe's ended in 1960, and George Kirby debuted in 2022. The table compares 142 games of George Kirby with 359 of Don Newcombe across 4 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for George Kirby are WHIP (1.17 to 1.21), strikeouts per nine (8.52 to 4.75), and walks per nine (1.55 to 2.11). By rate, George Kirby struck out 8.52 and walked 1.55 per nine innings; Don Newcombe struck out 4.75 and walked 2.11. George Kirby was mainly a starter (142 starts in 142 games), and Don Newcombe was mainly a starter (305 starts in 359 games). Because George Kirby is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
George Kirby vs Don Newcombe: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Kirby or Don Newcombe?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Newcombe leads George Kirby in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Newcombe, with 3.57 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Don Newcombe, with 153 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Newcombe, with 1,185 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- George Kirby, with 1.17 to Don Newcombe's 1.21.