Zack Greinke vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke 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). Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 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
Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 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? Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389.1 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Lincecum, with 7 to Zack Greinke's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Lincecum's 28,769.
Zack Greinke
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 | Zack Greinke | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 110 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 278 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 270 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 10 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 7 |
| Saves | 1 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389.1 | 1,682.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.49 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 9.29 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces Tim Lincecum 58,246 to 28,769 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Greinke played 22 seasons to Tim Lincecum's 10, while Tim Lincecum carries the higher per-season figure (2,877 to 2,648). 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).
Zack Greinke — 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, Zack Greinke 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 Zack Greinke. PIV agrees: Zack Greinke grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Zack Greinke and Tim Lincecum careers compare
The careers of Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) overlapped from 2007 to 2016, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Zack Greinke has the far longer record, 586 games against 278 across 22 and 10 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Tim Lincecum comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (7 to 5) and strikeouts per nine (9.29 to 7.91). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Tim Lincecum struck out 9.29 and walked 3.58. Both had the same role: Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games); Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games).
Zack Greinke vs Tim Lincecum: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Tim Lincecum?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Tim Lincecum in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.