Shane Bieber vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Lincecum 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). Shane Bieber has played 2018–present 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
Shane Bieber (2018–present) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Shane Bieber has 71 wins and 1,039 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; 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? Shane Bieber, with 3.31 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Tim Lincecum, with 110 to Shane Bieber's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Shane Bieber's 1,039.
- Who had the better WHIP? Shane Bieber, with 1.13 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Lincecum, with 1,682.0 to Shane Bieber's 939.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Lincecum, with 7 to Shane Bieber's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Lincecum, with 28,769 career Pitcher PIV to Shane Bieber's 25,160.
Shane Bieber
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, 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.
Shane Bieber is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Shane Bieber | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | Leads: 110 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 89 |
| Games | 154 | Leads: 278 |
| Games Started | 152 | Leads: 270 |
| Complete Games | 5 | Leads: 10 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 7 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,039 | Leads: 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 219 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 841 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 112 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | 939.0 | Leads: 1,682.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.31 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.13 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.96 | 9.29 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.10 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum leads Shane Bieber 28,769 to 25,160 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tim Lincecum played 10 seasons to Shane Bieber's 8, while Shane Bieber carries the higher per-season figure (3,145 to 2,877). 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).
Shane Bieber — 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, Tim Lincecum leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Shane Bieber owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Lincecum. PIV agrees: Tim Lincecum grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Shane Bieber and Tim Lincecum careers compare
Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) was finished before Shane Bieber (2018–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Shane Bieber has appeared in 154 games to Tim Lincecum's 278. Where Shane Bieber comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.31 to 3.74), WHIP (1.13 to 1.29), and strikeouts per nine (9.96 to 9.29). By rate, Shane Bieber struck out 9.96 and walked 2.10 per nine innings; Tim Lincecum struck out 9.29 and walked 3.58. Shane Bieber was mainly a starter (152 starts in 154 games), and Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games). Shane Bieber's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Shane Bieber vs Tim Lincecum: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Shane Bieber or Tim Lincecum?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Lincecum leads Shane Bieber in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Shane Bieber, with 3.31 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Lincecum, with 110 to Shane Bieber's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Shane Bieber's 1,039.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Shane Bieber, with 1.13 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.