George Kirby vs Johan Santana: Career Stats Comparison
Johan Santana has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Johan Santana played 2000–2012 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 Johan Santana (2000–2012) — breaking in during the 2020s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. George Kirby has 54 wins and 769 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Johan Santana finished with 139 wins and 1,988 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Johan Santana, with 3.20 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Johan Santana, with 139 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Johan Santana, with 1,988 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? Johan Santana, with 1.13 to George Kirby's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Johan Santana, with 2,025.2 to George Kirby's 812.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Johan Santana, with 10 to George Kirby's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Johan Santana, with 48,732 career Pitcher PIV to George Kirby's 14,778.
George Kirby
Johan Santana
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 2000s 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 | Johan Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 139 |
| Losses not scored | 45 | 78 |
| Games | 142 | Leads: 360 |
| Games Started | 142 | Leads: 284 |
| Complete Games | 2 | Leads: 15 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 10 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 769 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Walks not scored | 140 | 567 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 813 | 1,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 220 |
| Innings Pitched | 812.1 | Leads: 2,025.2 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.20 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 8.52 | Leads: 8.83 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.55 | 2.52 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johan Santana outpaces George Kirby 48,732 to 14,778 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,061 PIV per season to 3,695, across 12 seasons to 4. 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)
Johan Santana — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johan Santana leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while George Kirby owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Johan Santana. PIV agrees: Johan Santana 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 Johan Santana careers compare
No season is shared: Johan Santana played 2000–2012, George Kirby 2022–present. The table compares 142 games of George Kirby with 360 of Johan Santana across 4 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where George Kirby comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (1.55 to 2.52). The per-nine rows read 8.52 strikeouts and 1.55 walks for George Kirby, 8.83 and 2.52 for Johan Santana. Both had the same role: George Kirby was mainly a starter (142 starts in 142 games); Johan Santana was mainly a starter (284 starts in 360 games). In WHIP, Johan Santana's 1.13 beats George Kirby's 1.17. George Kirby's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
George Kirby vs Johan Santana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Kirby or Johan Santana?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johan Santana leads George Kirby in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Johan Santana, with 3.20 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Johan Santana, with 139 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Johan Santana, with 1,988 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Johan Santana, with 1.13 to George Kirby's 1.17.