Zack Greinke vs Jon Lester: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke (2004–present) and Jon Lester (2006–2021) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Zack Greinke compiled 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Jon Lester put up 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Zack Greinke
Jon Lester
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 | Zack Greinke | Jon Lester |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 225 | 200 |
| Losses | 156 | 117 |
| Games | 586 | 452 |
| Games Started | 541 | 451 |
| Complete Games | 17 | 15 |
| Shutouts | 5 | 4 |
| Saves | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,979 | 2,488 |
| Walks | 762 | 892 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,207 | 2,610 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 367 | 294 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,389 | 2,740 |
| ERA | 3.49 | 3.66 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | 8.17 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | 2.93 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces Jon Lester 58,246 to 26,549 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,648 vs 1,475 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).
Zack Greinke — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jon Lester — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Greinke leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jon Lester owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Greinke. PIV agrees: Zack Greinke grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.