Felix Hernandez vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Felix Hernandez played 2005–2019 as a pitcher; Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 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
Felix Hernandez (2005–2019) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) — both debuted in the 2000s. Felix Hernandez finished with 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts; Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games? Felix Hernandez, with 169 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Felix Hernandez, with 2,524 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.
- How many innings did each pitch? Felix Hernandez 2,729.2, Cliff Lee 2,156.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Felix Hernandez's 11.
Felix Hernandez
Cliff Lee
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Felix Hernandez | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 169 | 143 |
| Losses not scored | 136 | 91 |
| Games not scored | 419 | 328 |
| Games Started not scored | 418 | 324 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 29 |
| Shutouts | 11 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,524 | 1,824 |
| Walks not scored | 805 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,487 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 264 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,729.2 | 2,156.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.42 | 3.52 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.32 | 7.61 |
| BB/9 | 2.65 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Felix Hernandez edges Cliff Lee 44,530 to 41,719 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Felix Hernandez played 15 seasons to Cliff Lee's 13, while Cliff Lee carries the higher per-season figure (3,209 to 2,969). 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).
Felix Hernandez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Felix Hernandez higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee careers compare
The careers of Felix Hernandez (2005–2019) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) overlapped from 2005 to 2014, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 419 games against 328 across 15 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Cliff Lee's edges on the table are complete games (29 to 25), shutouts (12 to 11), and WHIP (1.20 to 1.21). By rate, Felix Hernandez struck out 8.32 and walked 2.65 per nine innings; Cliff Lee struck out 7.61 and walked 1.94. Both had the same role: Felix Hernandez was mainly a starter (418 starts in 419 games); Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games).
Felix Hernandez vs Cliff Lee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Felix Hernandez or Cliff Lee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games?
- Felix Hernandez, with 169 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Felix Hernandez, with 2,524 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.