Felix Hernandez vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Felix Hernandez has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Felix Hernandez compiled 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts; Cliff Lee put up 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Felix Hernandez, with 2,729 to Cliff Lee's 2,156.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Felix Hernandez's 11.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Felix Hernandez, with 44,530 career Pitcher PIV to Cliff Lee's 41,719.
Felix Hernandez
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Felix Hernandez | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 169 | 143 |
| Losses | 136 | 91 |
| Games | Leads: 419 | 328 |
| Games Started | Leads: 418 | 324 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 29 |
| Shutouts | 11 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,524 | 1,824 |
| Walks | 805 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,487 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 264 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,729 | 2,156 |
| 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 gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,969 vs 2,781 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).
Felix Hernandez — 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, Felix Hernandez leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Cliff Lee owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Felix Hernandez. PIV agrees: Felix Hernandez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Felix Hernandez vs Cliff Lee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Felix Hernandez or Cliff Lee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Felix Hernandez leads Cliff Lee in 7 of 11 categories.
- 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.