A. J. Burnett vs Derek Lowe: Career Stats Comparison
A. J. Burnett (1999–2015) and Derek Lowe (1997–2013) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. A. J. Burnett compiled 164 wins and 2,513 strikeouts; Derek Lowe put up 176 wins and 1,722 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
A. J. Burnett
Derek Lowe
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 | A. J. Burnett | Derek Lowe |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 164 | 176 |
| Losses | 157 | 157 |
| Games | 435 | 681 |
| Games Started | 430 | 377 |
| Complete Games | 24 | 10 |
| Shutouts | 10 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | 86 |
| Strikeouts | 2,513 | 1,722 |
| Walks | 1,100 | 794 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,519 | 2,759 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 263 | 217 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,731 | 2,671 |
| ERA | 3.99 | 4.03 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | 1.33 |
| K/9 | 8.28 | 5.80 |
| BB/9 | 3.62 | 2.68 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Derek Lowe outpaces A. J. Burnett 35,122 to 24,537 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,849 vs 1,443 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).
A. J. Burnett — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Derek Lowe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, A. J. Burnett leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Derek Lowe owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to A. J. Burnett. Note that PIV actually grades Derek Lowe ahead, which means A. J. Burnett's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.