Josh Beckett vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Josh Beckett (2001–2014) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Josh Beckett compiled 138 wins and 1,901 strikeouts; Tim Lincecum put up 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Josh Beckett | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 138 | 110 |
| Losses | 106 | 89 |
| Games | 335 | 278 |
| Games Started | 332 | 270 |
| Complete Games | 12 | 10 |
| Shutouts | 6 | 7 |
| Saves | 0 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,901 | 1,736 |
| Walks | 629 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,897 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 238 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,051 | 1,682 |
| ERA | 3.88 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 8.34 | 9.29 |
| BB/9 | 2.76 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum leads Josh Beckett 28,769 to 25,548 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,877 vs 1,703 per year). 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).
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.