Dan Haren vs Jon Lester: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Lester has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dan Haren played 2003–2015 as a pitcher; Jon Lester played 2006–2021 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
Dan Haren (2003–2015) and Jon Lester (2006–2021) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dan Haren finished with 153 wins and 2,013 strikeouts; Jon Lester finished with 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jon Lester, with 3.66 to Dan Haren's 3.75.
- Who won more games? Jon Lester, with 200 to Dan Haren's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Dan Haren's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dan Haren, with 1.18 to Jon Lester's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Jon Lester, with 2,740.0 to Dan Haren's 2,419.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dan Haren, with 6 to Jon Lester's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jon Lester, with 26,549 career Pitcher PIV to Dan Haren's 24,951.
Dan Haren
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. 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 | Dan Haren | Jon Lester |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 153 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 131 | 117 |
| Games | 391 | Leads: 452 |
| Games Started | 380 | Leads: 451 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 6 | 4 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,013 | Leads: 2,488 |
| Walks not scored | 500 | 892 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,357 | 2,610 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 305 | 294 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,419.2 | Leads: 2,740.0 |
| ERA | 3.75 | Leads: 3.66 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 7.49 | Leads: 8.17 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.86 | 2.93 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jon Lester edges Dan Haren 26,549 to 24,951 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jon Lester played 18 seasons to Dan Haren's 15, while Dan Haren carries the higher per-season figure (1,663 to 1,475). 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).
Dan Haren — 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, Jon Lester leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Dan Haren owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jon Lester. PIV agrees: Jon Lester grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dan Haren and Jon Lester careers compare
Dan Haren and Jon Lester were active at the same time between 2006 and 2015. The two careers are close in length, 391 games for Dan Haren and 452 for Jon Lester across 15 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Dan Haren struck out 7.49 and walked 1.86 per nine innings; Jon Lester struck out 8.17 and walked 2.93. Both had the same role: Dan Haren was mainly a starter (380 starts in 391 games); Jon Lester was mainly a starter (451 starts in 452 games). In WHIP, Dan Haren's 1.18 beats Jon Lester's 1.28.
Dan Haren vs Jon Lester: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dan Haren or Jon Lester?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jon Lester leads Dan Haren in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jon Lester, with 3.66 to Dan Haren's 3.75.
- Who won more games?
- Jon Lester, with 200 to Dan Haren's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Dan Haren's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dan Haren, with 1.18 to Jon Lester's 1.28.