Josh Beckett vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Josh Beckett has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Josh Beckett played 2001–2014 as a pitcher; Tim Lincecum played 2007–2016 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
Josh Beckett (2001–2014) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Josh Beckett finished with 138 wins and 1,901 strikeouts; Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tim Lincecum, with 3.74 to Josh Beckett's 3.88.
- Who won more games? Josh Beckett, with 138 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Josh Beckett, with 1,901 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Josh Beckett, with 1.23 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Josh Beckett, with 2,051.0 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Lincecum, with 7 to Josh Beckett's 6.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Lincecum, with 28,769 career Pitcher PIV to Josh Beckett's 25,548.
Josh Beckett
Tim Lincecum
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Josh Beckett | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 110 |
| Losses not scored | 106 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 335 | 278 |
| Games Started | Leads: 332 | 270 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 12 | 10 |
| Shutouts | 6 | Leads: 7 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,901 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 629 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,897 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 238 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,051.0 | 1,682.0 |
| ERA | 3.88 | Leads: 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 8.34 | Leads: 9.29 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.76 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum leads Josh Beckett 28,769 to 25,548 — driven by per-season impact — 2,877 PIV per season to 1,703 — rather than by longevity, since Tim Lincecum played 10 seasons to Josh Beckett's 15. 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).
Josh Beckett — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tim Lincecum — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Josh Beckett leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Tim Lincecum owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Josh Beckett. Note that PIV actually grades Tim Lincecum ahead, which means Josh Beckett's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Beckett and Tim Lincecum careers compare
Josh Beckett and Tim Lincecum were active at the same time between 2007 and 2014. With 335 games against 278 across 15 and 10 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Tim Lincecum comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (7 to 6), saves (1 to 0), and ERA (3.74 to 3.88). By rate, Josh Beckett struck out 8.34 and walked 2.76 per nine innings; Tim Lincecum struck out 9.29 and walked 3.58. Both had the same role: Josh Beckett was mainly a starter (332 starts in 335 games); Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games). In WHIP, Josh Beckett's 1.23 beats Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
Josh Beckett vs Tim Lincecum: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Beckett or Tim Lincecum?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Josh Beckett leads Tim Lincecum in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tim Lincecum, with 3.74 to Josh Beckett's 3.88.
- Who won more games?
- Josh Beckett, with 138 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Josh Beckett, with 1,901 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Josh Beckett, with 1.23 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.