George Kirby vs Justin Verlander: Career Stats Comparison
Justin Verlander 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; Justin Verlander has played 2005–present 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 Justin Verlander (2005–present) — 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; Justin Verlander has 266 wins and 3,560 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Justin Verlander, with 3.33 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Justin Verlander, with 266 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? Justin Verlander, with 1.14 to George Kirby's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Justin Verlander, with 3,576.2 to George Kirby's 812.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Justin Verlander, with 9 to George Kirby's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Justin Verlander, with 68,171 career Pitcher PIV to George Kirby's 14,778.
George Kirby
Justin Verlander
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 and Justin Verlander are still active — their totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | George Kirby | Justin Verlander |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 266 |
| Losses not scored | 45 | 159 |
| Games | 142 | Leads: 557 |
| Games Started | 142 | Leads: 557 |
| Complete Games | 2 | Leads: 26 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 9 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 769 | Leads: 3,560 |
| Walks not scored | 140 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 813 | 3,057 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 374 |
| Innings Pitched | 812.1 | Leads: 3,576.2 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 8.52 | Leads: 8.96 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.55 | 2.53 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Justin Verlander outpaces George Kirby 68,171 to 14,778 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Justin Verlander played 22 seasons to George Kirby's 4, while George Kirby carries the higher per-season figure (3,695 to 3,099). 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)
Justin Verlander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Justin Verlander 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 Justin Verlander. PIV agrees: Justin Verlander 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 Justin Verlander careers compare
The two careers overlap from 2022 on, with both players still active. The table compares 142 games of George Kirby with 557 of Justin Verlander across 4 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. George Kirby's edges on the table are walks per nine (1.55 to 2.53). By rate, George Kirby struck out 8.52 and walked 1.55 per nine innings; Justin Verlander struck out 8.96 and walked 2.53. Both had the same role: George Kirby was mainly a starter (142 starts in 142 games); Justin Verlander was mainly a starter (557 starts in 557 games). In WHIP, Justin Verlander's 1.14 beats George Kirby's 1.17. Because George Kirby and Justin Verlander are still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
George Kirby vs Justin Verlander: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Kirby or Justin Verlander?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Justin Verlander leads George Kirby in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Justin Verlander, with 3.33 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Justin Verlander, with 266 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Justin Verlander, with 1.14 to George Kirby's 1.17.