George Kirby vs Satchel Paige: Career Stats Comparison
Satchel Paige has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 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 Satchel Paige (1948–1965) — 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; Satchel Paige finished with 143 wins and 1,695 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Satchel Paige, with 143 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to George Kirby's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Satchel Paige, with 1,962.2 to George Kirby's 812.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Satchel Paige, with 28 to George Kirby's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to George Kirby's 14,778.
George Kirby
Satchel Paige
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 | Satchel Paige |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 143 |
| Losses not scored | 45 | 89 |
| Games | 142 | Leads: 438 |
| Games Started | 142 | Leads: 226 |
| Complete Games | 2 | Leads: 116 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 28 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 47 |
| Strikeouts | 769 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks not scored | 140 | 533 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 813 | 1,647 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | 812.1 | Leads: 1,962.2 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 2.77 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.52 | 7.77 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.55 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige outpaces George Kirby 77,694 to 14,778 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Satchel Paige played 28 seasons to George Kirby's 4, while George Kirby carries the higher per-season figure (3,695 to 2,775). 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)
Satchel Paige — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Satchel Paige leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while George Kirby owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Satchel Paige. PIV agrees: Satchel Paige 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 Satchel Paige careers compare
No season is shared: Satchel Paige played 1948–1965, George Kirby 2022–present. The table compares 142 games of George Kirby with 438 of Satchel Paige across 4 and 28 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for George Kirby are strikeouts per nine (8.52 to 7.77) and walks per nine (1.55 to 2.44). The per-nine rows read 8.52 strikeouts and 1.55 walks for George Kirby, 7.77 and 2.44 for Satchel Paige. Their roles differ: George Kirby was mainly a starter (142 starts in 142 games); Satchel Paige split time between starting and relief (226 starts in 438 games). George Kirby's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
George Kirby vs Satchel Paige: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Kirby or Satchel Paige?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Satchel Paige leads George Kirby in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Satchel Paige, with 143 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to George Kirby's 1.17.