Madison Bumgarner vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Madison Bumgarner (2009–present) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Madison Bumgarner compiled 134 wins and 2,070 strikeouts; Cliff Lee put up 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Madison Bumgarner
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 | Madison Bumgarner | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 134 | 143 |
| Losses | 124 | 91 |
| Games | 358 | 328 |
| Games Started | 355 | 324 |
| Complete Games | 16 | 29 |
| Shutouts | 7 | 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,070 | 1,824 |
| Walks | 544 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,007 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 258 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,209 | 2,156 |
| ERA | 3.47 | 3.52 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 8.43 | 7.61 |
| BB/9 | 2.22 | 1.94 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee outpaces Madison Bumgarner 41,719 to 26,439 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,781 vs 1,763 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).
Madison Bumgarner — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Madison Bumgarner leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Cliff Lee owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Madison Bumgarner. Note that PIV actually grades Cliff Lee ahead, which means Madison Bumgarner's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.