Dan Haren vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Dan Haren (2003–2015) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dan Haren compiled 153 wins and 2,013 strikeouts; Cliff Lee put up 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Dan Haren
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 | Dan Haren | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 153 | 143 |
| Losses | 131 | 91 |
| Games | 391 | 328 |
| Games Started | 380 | 324 |
| Complete Games | 16 | 29 |
| Shutouts | 6 | 12 |
| Saves | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,013 | 1,824 |
| Walks | 500 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,357 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 305 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,419 | 2,156 |
| ERA | 3.75 | 3.52 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 7.49 | 7.61 |
| BB/9 | 1.86 | 1.94 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee outpaces Dan Haren 41,719 to 24,951 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,781 vs 1,663 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).
Dan Haren — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dan Haren leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Cliff Lee owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dan Haren. Note that PIV actually grades Cliff Lee ahead, which means Dan Haren's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.