Corey Kluber vs Ben Sheets: Career Stats Comparison
Corey Kluber 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). Corey Kluber played 2011–2023 as a pitcher; Ben Sheets played 2001–2012 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
Corey Kluber (2011–2023) and Ben Sheets (2001–2012) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Corey Kluber finished with 116 wins and 1,725 strikeouts; Ben Sheets finished with 94 wins and 1,325 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Corey Kluber, with 3.44 to Ben Sheets's 3.78.
- Who won more games? Corey Kluber, with 116 to Ben Sheets's 94.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Corey Kluber, with 1,725 to Ben Sheets's 1,325.
- Who had the better WHIP? Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Ben Sheets's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Corey Kluber, with 1,641.2 to Ben Sheets's 1,596.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Corey Kluber, with 8 to Ben Sheets's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Corey Kluber, with 36,049 career Pitcher PIV to Ben Sheets's 28,864.
Corey Kluber
Ben Sheets
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 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Corey Kluber | Ben Sheets |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 116 | 94 |
| Losses not scored | 77 | 96 |
| Games | Leads: 271 | 250 |
| Games Started | Leads: 260 | 250 |
| Complete Games | 18 | 18 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 8 | 4 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,725 | 1,325 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 369 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,486 | 1,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 177 | 184 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,641.2 | 1,596.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.44 | 3.78 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.13 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.46 | 7.47 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Corey Kluber leads Ben Sheets 36,049 to 28,864 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Corey Kluber played 13 seasons to Ben Sheets's 10, while Ben Sheets carries the higher per-season figure (2,886 to 2,773). 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).
Corey Kluber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Ben Sheets — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Corey Kluber leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Ben Sheets owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Corey Kluber. PIV agrees: Corey Kluber grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Corey Kluber and Ben Sheets careers compare
From 2011 through 2012, Corey Kluber and Ben Sheets were in the majors together. With 271 games against 250 across 13 and 10 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Corey Kluber leads every scored row of the table. The per-nine rows read 9.46 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Corey Kluber, 7.47 and 2.08 for Ben Sheets. Corey Kluber was mainly a starter (260 starts in 271 games), and Ben Sheets was mainly a starter (250 starts in 250 games). In WHIP, Corey Kluber's 1.13 beats Ben Sheets's 1.22.
Corey Kluber vs Ben Sheets: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Corey Kluber or Ben Sheets?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Corey Kluber leads Ben Sheets in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Corey Kluber, with 3.44 to Ben Sheets's 3.78.
- Who won more games?
- Corey Kluber, with 116 to Ben Sheets's 94.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Corey Kluber, with 1,725 to Ben Sheets's 1,325.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Ben Sheets's 1.22.