Yu Darvish vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Yu Darvish (2012–present) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Yu Darvish compiled 115 wins and 2,075 strikeouts; Tim Lincecum put up 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Yu Darvish
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 | Yu Darvish | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 115 | 110 |
| Losses | 93 | 89 |
| Games | 297 | 278 |
| Games Started | 297 | 270 |
| Complete Games | 2 | 10 |
| Shutouts | 1 | 7 |
| Saves | 0 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,075 | 1,736 |
| Walks | 563 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,460 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 231 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,778 | 1,682 |
| ERA | 3.65 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 10.50 | 9.29 |
| BB/9 | 2.85 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum leads Yu Darvish 28,769 to 25,371 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,877 vs 1,812 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).
Yu Darvish — 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, Yu Darvish leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tim Lincecum owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Yu Darvish. Note that PIV actually grades Tim Lincecum ahead, which means Yu Darvish's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.