Lefty Grove vs Ted Lyons: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 as a pitcher; Ted Lyons played 1923–1946 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
Lefty Grove (1925–1941) and Ted Lyons (1923–1946) — both came up during the 1920s, so the matchup is a direct one. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Ted Lyons finished with 260 wins and 1,073 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Ted Lyons's 3.67.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Ted Lyons's 260.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Ted Lyons's 1,073.
- Who had the better WHIP? Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Ted Lyons's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Ted Lyons, with 4,161.0 to Lefty Grove's 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Ted Lyons's 27.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Ted Lyons's 8,642.
Lefty Grove
Ted Lyons
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 | Lefty Grove | Ted Lyons |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 260 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 230 |
| Games | Leads: 616 | 594 |
| Games Started | 457 | Leads: 484 |
| Complete Games | 298 | Leads: 356 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 27 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,266 | 1,073 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 1,121 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 4,489 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,940.2 | Leads: 4,161.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.67 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.28 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.18 | 2.32 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.42 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Ted Lyons 81,321 to 8,642 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 412 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Ted Lyons's 21. 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).
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Ted Lyons — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Ted Lyons owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lefty Grove and Ted Lyons careers compare
The careers of Lefty Grove (1925–1941) and Ted Lyons (1923–1946) overlapped from 1925 to 1941, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 616 games against 594 across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Ted Lyons comes out ahead, it is in starts (484 to 457), complete games (356 to 298), and innings (4,161.0 to 3,940.2). By rate, Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71 per nine innings; Ted Lyons struck out 2.32 and walked 2.42. Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games), and Ted Lyons was mainly a starter (484 starts in 594 games).
Lefty Grove vs Ted Lyons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Ted Lyons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Ted Lyons in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Ted Lyons's 3.67.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Ted Lyons's 260.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Ted Lyons's 1,073.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Ted Lyons's 1.35.