Corey Kluber vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
Corey Kluber has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Corey Kluber played 2011–2023 as a pitcher; Stephen Strasburg played 2010–2022 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 Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — both debuted in the 2010s. Corey Kluber finished with 116 wins and 1,725 strikeouts; Stephen Strasburg finished with 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Corey Kluber, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to Corey Kluber's 3.44.
- Who won more games? Corey Kluber, with 116 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Corey Kluber, with 1,725 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to Corey Kluber's 1.13.
- How many innings did each pitch? Corey Kluber 1,641.2, Stephen Strasburg 1,470.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Corey Kluber, with 8 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
Corey Kluber
Stephen Strasburg
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Corey Kluber | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 116 | 113 |
| Losses not scored | 77 | 62 |
| Games not scored | 271 | 247 |
| Games Started not scored | 260 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 8 | 2 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,725 | 1,723 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,486 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 177 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,641.2 | 1,470.0 |
| ERA | 3.44 | Leads: 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.13 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 9.46 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Stephen Strasburg leads Corey Kluber 41,364 to 36,049 — driven by per-season impact — 3,182 PIV per season to 2,773 — rather than by longevity, since Stephen Strasburg played 13 seasons to Corey Kluber's 13. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Stephen Strasburg — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Corey Kluber leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Stephen Strasburg leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Corey Kluber. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Stephen Strasburg higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Corey Kluber and Stephen Strasburg careers compare
From 2011 through 2022, Corey Kluber and Stephen Strasburg were in the majors together. With 271 games against 247 across 13 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Stephen Strasburg's edges on the table are ERA (3.24 to 3.44), WHIP (1.10 to 1.13), and strikeouts per nine (10.55 to 9.46). The per-nine rows read 9.46 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Corey Kluber, 10.55 and 2.41 for Stephen Strasburg. Corey Kluber was mainly a starter (260 starts in 271 games), and Stephen Strasburg was mainly a starter (247 starts in 247 games). In WHIP, Stephen Strasburg's 1.10 beats Corey Kluber's 1.13.
Corey Kluber vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Corey Kluber or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Corey Kluber leads Stephen Strasburg in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to Corey Kluber's 3.44.
- Who won more games?
- Corey Kluber, with 116 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Corey Kluber, with 1,725 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to Corey Kluber's 1.13.