George Kirby vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser 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; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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 Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 2020s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. George Kirby has 54 wins and 769 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? George Kirby, with 1.17 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993.0 to George Kirby's 812.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to George Kirby's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to George Kirby's 14,778.
George Kirby
Hal Newhouser
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 1930s 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 | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 45 | 150 |
| Games | 142 | Leads: 488 |
| Games Started | 142 | Leads: 374 |
| Complete Games | 2 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 33 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | 769 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 140 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 813 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 812.1 | Leads: 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.52 | 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.55 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces George Kirby 43,492 to 14,778 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to George Kirby's 4, while George Kirby carries the higher per-season figure (3,695 to 2,558). 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)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser 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 Hal Newhouser. PIV agrees: Hal Newhouser 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 Hal Newhouser careers compare
Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) was finished before George Kirby (2022–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 142 games of George Kirby with 488 of Hal Newhouser across 4 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. George Kirby's edges on the table are WHIP (1.17 to 1.31), strikeouts per nine (8.52 to 5.40), and walks per nine (1.55 to 3.76). By rate, George Kirby struck out 8.52 and walked 1.55 per nine innings; Hal Newhouser struck out 5.40 and walked 3.76. George Kirby was mainly a starter (142 starts in 142 games), and Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games). George Kirby's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
George Kirby vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Kirby or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal Newhouser leads George Kirby in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- George Kirby, with 1.17 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.