George Kirby vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Wheeler 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; Zack Wheeler has played 2013–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 Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — breaking in during the 2020s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. George Kirby has 54 wins and 769 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Zack Wheeler has 127 wins and 2,013 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Zack Wheeler, with 127 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Wheeler, with 2,013 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to George Kirby's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Wheeler, with 1,890.1 to George Kirby's 812.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Zack Wheeler, with 3 to George Kirby's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Wheeler, with 39,270 career Pitcher PIV to George Kirby's 14,778.
George Kirby
Zack Wheeler
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
George Kirby and Zack Wheeler are still active — their totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | George Kirby | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 127 |
| Losses not scored | 45 | 80 |
| Games | 142 | Leads: 311 |
| Games Started | 142 | Leads: 311 |
| Complete Games | 2 | Leads: 5 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 769 | Leads: 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 140 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 813 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched | 812.1 | Leads: 1,890.1 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 8.52 | Leads: 9.58 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.55 | 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheeler outpaces George Kirby 39,270 to 14,778 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Wheeler played 11 seasons to George Kirby's 4, while George Kirby carries the higher per-season figure (3,695 to 3,570). 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)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Wheeler 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 Zack Wheeler. PIV agrees: Zack Wheeler 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 Zack Wheeler careers compare
The two careers overlap from 2022 on, with both players still active. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: George Kirby has appeared in 142 games to Zack Wheeler's 311. The green cells for George Kirby are walks per nine (1.55 to 2.56). The per-nine rows read 8.52 strikeouts and 1.55 walks for George Kirby, 9.58 and 2.56 for Zack Wheeler. Both had the same role: George Kirby was mainly a starter (142 starts in 142 games); Zack Wheeler was mainly a starter (311 starts in 311 games). In WHIP, Zack Wheeler's 1.13 beats George Kirby's 1.17. Because George Kirby and Zack Wheeler are still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
George Kirby vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Kirby or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Wheeler leads George Kirby in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Wheeler, with 127 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Wheeler, with 2,013 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to George Kirby's 1.17.