Madison Bumgarner vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Madison Bumgarner has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Madison Bumgarner played 2009–2023 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
Madison Bumgarner (2009–2023) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Madison Bumgarner finished with 134 wins and 2,070 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? Madison Bumgarner, with 3.47 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Madison Bumgarner, with 134 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Madison Bumgarner, with 2,070 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Madison Bumgarner, with 1.15 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Madison Bumgarner, with 2,209.1 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Lincecum, with 28,769 career Pitcher PIV to Madison Bumgarner's 26,439.
Madison Bumgarner
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 | Madison Bumgarner | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 134 | 110 |
| Losses not scored | 124 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 358 | 278 |
| Games Started | Leads: 355 | 270 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 10 |
| Shutouts | 7 | 7 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,070 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 544 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,007 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 258 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,209.1 | 1,682.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.47 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 8.43 | Leads: 9.29 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.22 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum leads Madison Bumgarner 28,769 to 26,439 — driven by per-season impact — 2,877 PIV per season to 1,763 — rather than by longevity, since Tim Lincecum played 10 seasons to Madison Bumgarner'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).
Madison Bumgarner — 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, Madison Bumgarner leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tim Lincecum owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Madison Bumgarner. Note that PIV actually grades Tim Lincecum ahead, which means Madison Bumgarner's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum careers compare
The careers of Madison Bumgarner (2009–2023) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) overlapped from 2009 to 2016, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 358 games for Madison Bumgarner and 278 for Tim Lincecum across 15 and 10 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Tim Lincecum's edges on the table are saves (1 to 0) and strikeouts per nine (9.29 to 8.43). By rate, Madison Bumgarner struck out 8.43 and walked 2.22 per nine innings; Tim Lincecum struck out 9.29 and walked 3.58.
Madison Bumgarner vs Tim Lincecum: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Madison Bumgarner or Tim Lincecum?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Madison Bumgarner leads Tim Lincecum in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Madison Bumgarner, with 3.47 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Madison Bumgarner, with 134 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Madison Bumgarner, with 2,070 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Madison Bumgarner, with 1.15 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.