Steve Gromek

Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1941-1957)

Steve Gromek was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1941 to 1957 for the Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers, a span of 17 seasons. Across 447 career appearances, he went 123-108 with a 3.41 ERA, 904 strikeouts, and 23 saves. He also batted .197 with 0 home runs. Steve Gromek was an All-Star. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 1339.6.

W (Wins):
Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
ERA (Earned Run Average):
Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
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

W–L 123–108
ERA 3.41
WHIP 1.24
SO 904
Pitcher PIV 1339.6
Position
Pitcher
Bats / Throws
B / R
Height / Weight
6'2" / 180 lb
Born
1/15/1920 in Hamtramck, MI, USA
Died
3/12/2002 in Clinton Twp; Macomb County, MI, USA
MLB Debut
1941-08-18
Last Game
1957-07-25
Awards
All-Star

Full name: Stephen Joseph Gromek

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Career Pitching Statistics

Steve Gromek — Career Pitching Statistics
W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
123 108 447 225 92 17 23 2064.2 1,940 782 186 630 904 3.41 1339.6

Career ERA 3.41 vs. league average 3.87 across their career seasons — 11.9% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Pitching Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Steve Gromek Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1941 CLE AL 1 1 9 2 1 0 2 23.1 25 11 11 19 4.24 3.94 (-8%) 789.0
1942 CLE AL 2 0 14 0 0 0 0 44.1 46 18 23 14 3.65 3.57 (-2%) -576.1
1943 CLE AL 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 4.0 6 4 0 4 9.00 — 0.0
1944 CLE AL 10 9 35 21 12 2 1 203.2 160 58 70 115 2.56 3.57 (+28%) 3356.0
1945 CLE AL 19 9 33 30 21 3 1 251.0 229 71 66 101 2.55 3.67 (+31%) 4016.5
1946 CLE AL 5 15 29 21 5 2 4 153.2 159 74 47 75 4.33 3.59 (-21%) -2640.9
1947 CLE AL 3 5 29 7 0 0 4 84.1 77 35 36 39 3.74 3.97 (+6%) -735.6
1948 CLE AL 9 3 38 9 4 1 2 130.0 109 41 51 50 2.84 4.10 (+31%) -703.5
1949 CLE AL 4 6 27 12 3 0 0 92.0 86 34 40 22 3.33 4.12 (+19%) -954.1
1950 CLE AL 10 7 31 13 4 1 0 113.1 94 46 36 43 3.65 4.36 (+16%) 1027.9
1951 CLE AL 7 4 27 8 4 0 1 107.1 98 33 29 40 2.77 4.04 (+31%) 1803.5
1952 CLE AL 7 7 29 13 3 1 1 122.2 109 50 28 65 3.67 3.70 (+1%) 486.1
1953 CLE AL 1 1 5 1 0 0 0 11.0 11 4 3 8 3.27 4.14 (+21%) 526.4
1953 DET AL 6 8 19 17 6 1 1 125.2 138 63 36 59 4.51 4.14 (-9%) -1017.5
1954 DET AL 18 16 36 32 17 4 1 252.2 236 77 57 102 2.74 3.90 (+30%) 996.8
1955 DET AL 13 10 28 25 8 2 0 181.0 183 80 37 73 3.98 4.00 (+1%) -872.4
1956 DET AL 8 6 40 13 4 0 4 141.0 142 67 47 64 4.28 3.96 (-8%) -3502.1
1957 DET AL 0 1 15 1 0 0 1 23.2 32 16 13 11 6.08 3.83 (-59%) -660.6
Career · 18 seasons 123 108 447 225 92 17 23 2,064.2 1,940 782 630 904 3.41 — 1,340

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Career Batting Statistics

Steve Gromek — Career Batting Statistics
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
470 630 58 124 9 2 0 40 2 71 146 .197 .279 .217 .497 -1,238

Career AVG .197 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 24.3% below league average.

Career OBP .279 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — 16.0% below league average.

Career SLG .217 vs. league average .376 across their career seasons — 42.1% below league average.

Career OPS .497 vs. league average .708 across their career seasons — 29.8% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Steve Gromek Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1941 CLE AL 9 6 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .167 — — — — 0.0
1942 CLE AL 14 15 2 5 1 1 0 2 0 2 1 .333 — — — — 0.0
1943 CLE AL 3 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1.000 — — — — 0.0
1944 CLE AL 44 73 11 19 1 1 0 7 1 6 13 .260 .261 (avg) .325 (-3%) .357 (-16%) .683 (-10%) -101.0
1945 CLE AL 37 91 8 21 2 0 0 10 0 10 17 .231 .260 (-12%) .328 (-7%) .354 (-29%) .683 (-18%) -228.0
1946 CLE AL 37 56 4 11 0 0 0 0 1 2 14 .196 .256 (-24%) .328 (-32%) .358 (-45%) .687 (-39%) -332.4
1947 CLE AL 30 22 1 7 1 0 0 1 0 0 5 .318 — — — — 0.0
1948 CLE AL 38 41 3 6 1 0 0 1 0 3 7 .146 — — — — 0.0
1949 CLE AL 27 24 2 4 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 .167 — — — — 0.0
1950 CLE AL 31 38 1 6 0 0 0 1 0 1 9 .158 — — — — 0.0
1951 CLE AL 27 27 2 8 1 0 0 2 0 5 8 .296 — — — — 0.0
1952 CLE AL 30 30 2 3 0 0 0 3 0 5 10 .100 — — — — 0.0
1953 CLE AL 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 — — — — 0.0
1953 DET AL 19 41 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 10 .073 — — — — 0.0
1954 DET AL 36 79 6 15 0 0 0 3 0 8 21 .190 .261 (-27%) .333 (-18%) .390 (-51%) .723 (-36%) -426.1
1955 DET AL 28 54 10 9 1 0 0 5 0 16 12 .167 .258 (-36%) .332 (+8%) .393 (-53%) .726 (-25%) -150.6
1956 DET AL 40 27 3 4 0 0 0 1 0 11 10 .148 — — — — 0.0
1957 DET AL 15 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 — — — — 0.0
Career · 18 seasons 470 630 58 124 9 2 0 40 2 71 146 .197 — — — — -1,238

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

Steve Gromek — Playoff Career Batting
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000

Playoff Batting by Year

Steve Gromek — Playoff Batting by Year
Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1948 WS CLE 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000

Playoff Career Pitching

Steve Gromek — Playoff Career Pitching
W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1 0 1 1 0 9.0 7 1 1 2 1.00

Playoff Pitching by Year

Steve Gromek — Playoff Pitching by Year
Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1948 WS CLE 1 0 1 1 0 9.0 7 1 1 2 1.00

Game Log & Splits

View full game log (917 games) →

Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).

Batting — Home / Away

Steve Gromek — Batting — Home / Away
SplitGABRHHRRBIAVG
Home2192912363020.216
Away2513383561020.180

Pitching — Home / Away

Steve Gromek — Pitching — Home / Away
SplitGIPHERBBSOERA
Home204999.29193222824532.90
Away2431064.110214623474503.91

Last 10 Games — Batting

Steve Gromek — Last 10 Games — Batting
DateTmOppResABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSO
1957-07-25 DETBALL 000000000
1957-06-28 DETBOSL 000000000
1957-06-25 DETMINW 100000001
1957-06-13 DETBALW 000000000
1957-06-01 DETCHWL 000000000
1957-05-30 DETKC1W 000000000
1957-05-15 DETBOSL 000000000
1957-05-10 DETCHWL 000000000
1957-05-06 DETBALL 000000000
1957-05-02 DETBOSW 000000000

Last 10 Games — Pitching

Steve Gromek — Last 10 Games — Pitching
DateTmOppDecIPHRERBBSOHR
1957-07-25 DETBAL — 1.0000000
1957-06-28 DETBOS — 0.0233101
1957-06-25 DETMIN — 4.2200140
1957-06-13 DETBAL — 1.2200200
1957-06-01 DETCHW — 1.2411000
1957-05-30 DETKC1 — 1.0211011
1957-05-15 DETBOS — 1.0444100
1957-05-10 DETCHW — 2.0200000
1957-05-06 DETBAL — 0.2200110
1957-05-02 DETBOS SV 0.1000000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Steve Gromek — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position G GS PO A E DP
P 447 71 126 248 13 20

Season-by-Season Fielding

Steve Gromek — Season-by-Season Fielding
Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1941 CLE P 9 0 0 0 0 0
1942 CLE P 14 0 2 6 2 1
1943 CLE P 3 0 0 0 0 0
1944 CLE P 35 0 10 22 2 3
1945 CLE P 33 0 15 31 2 1
1946 CLE P 29 0 10 21 1 2
1947 CLE P 29 0 2 13 1 0
1948 CLE P 38 0 8 17 2 3
1949 CLE P 27 0 8 18 1 0
1950 CLE P 31 0 11 14 0 3
1951 CLE P 27 0 13 18 0 3
1952 CLE P 29 0 7 9 0 0
1953 CLE P 5 0 1 0 0 0
1953 DET P 19 0 9 13 0 1
1954 DET P 36 32 16 26 1 1
1955 DET P 28 25 12 22 1 2
1956 DET P 40 13 1 16 0 0
1957 DET P 15 1 1 2 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Steve Gromek Stats, Bio & Career Records
Position Games
Pitcher 447

Awards & Honors

Steve Gromek — Awards & Honors
Year Award Notes
1945 Baseball Magazine All-Star P3

Award Voting History

Steve Gromek — Award Voting History
Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1954 Most Valuable Player AL 26th 1.0 336 0

Most Similar Players

Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.

Career Spans

Steve Gromek (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.

  1. 98
    Marty Pattin
    114-109, 3.62 ERA
  2. 95
    Nelson Briles
    129-112, 3.44 ERA
  3. 90
    Johnny Antonelli
    126-110, 3.34 ERA
  4. 89
    Mike Garcia
    142-97, 3.27 ERA
  5. 87
    Larry Gura
    126-97, 3.76 ERA
  6. 84
    Pat Dobson
    122-129, 3.54 ERA

Steve Gromek: the record in brief

According to the bio, Steve Gromek debuted on August 18, 1941 and played a final game on July 25, 1957. Club by club, the record runs the Cleveland Indians (1941 to 1953) and the Detroit Tigers (1953 through 1957). Born on January 15, 1920, in Hamtramck, MI, USA, Gromek is listed as a pitcher and switch-hit and threw right-handed. Size on record: 180 pounds on a 6-foot-2 frame. The bio records the death on March 12, 2002, in Clinton Twp; Macomb County, MI, USA. The given name on file is Stephen Joseph Gromek.

The pitching table credits Gromek with a 123-108 record and a 3.41 ERA in 447 games. The same table counts 904 strikeouts, 92 complete games, 17 shutouts, and 23 saves. Against a 3.87 league ERA for the same years, Gromek was 11.9% better. 1945 brought Gromek a season-high 19 wins. The strikeout high was 115 in 1944. 1945 was Gromek's sharpest full season, a 2.55 ERA against the league's 3.67.

Frequently Asked Questions about Steve Gromek

What years did Steve Gromek play?
Steve Gromek played in Major League Baseball from 1941 to 1957.
Was Steve Gromek a pitcher?
Yes. Steve Gromek pitched in the major leagues, recording 123 wins and 904 strikeouts.
How many home runs did Steve Gromek hit?
Steve Gromek hit 0 career home runs with 124 hits.
What teams did Steve Gromek play for?
Steve Gromek played for 2 teams: the Cleveland Indians (1941–1953) and the Detroit Tigers (1953–1957).
Did Steve Gromek win a Cy Young Award?
No. Steve Gromek did not win the Cy Young Award.
What awards did Steve Gromek win?
Steve Gromek was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
What were Steve Gromek's career stats?
In 447 games, Steve Gromek went 123-108 with a 3.41 ERA, 904 strikeouts, 2,064.2 innings pitched, and 23 saves. At the plate he had 124 hits and 0 home runs.
What position did Steve Gromek play?
Steve Gromek played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
How tall was Steve Gromek and how much did he weigh?
Steve Gromek was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 180 pounds.
What was Steve Gromek's career ERA?
Steve Gromek finished with a 3.41 career ERA, going 123-108 with 904 strikeouts.
How many strikeouts did Steve Gromek have?
Steve Gromek recorded 904 career strikeouts.
Is Steve Gromek in the Hall of Fame?
No. Steve Gromek has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
How many All-Star Games did Steve Gromek make?
Steve Gromek was selected to 1 All-Star Game.