Carl Hubbell vs Ted Lyons: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Hubbell 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). Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943 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
Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) and Ted Lyons (1923–1946) — both came up during the 1920s, so the matchup is a direct one. Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 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? Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Ted Lyons's 3.67.
- Who won more games? Ted Lyons, with 260 to Carl Hubbell's 253.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Carl Hubbell, with 1,677 to Ted Lyons's 1,073.
- Who had the better WHIP? Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Ted Lyons's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Ted Lyons, with 4,161.0 to Carl Hubbell's 3,590.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Carl Hubbell, with 36 to Ted Lyons's 27.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Carl Hubbell, with 54,753 career Pitcher PIV to Ted Lyons's 8,642.
Carl Hubbell
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 | Carl Hubbell | Ted Lyons |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 253 | Leads: 260 |
| Losses not scored | 154 | 230 |
| Games | 535 | Leads: 594 |
| Games Started | 431 | Leads: 484 |
| Complete Games | 260 | Leads: 356 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 36 | 27 |
| Saves | Leads: 33 | 23 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,677 | 1,073 |
| Walks not scored | 725 | 1,121 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,461 | 4,489 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 227 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,590.1 | Leads: 4,161.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.67 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.20 | 2.32 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.82 | 2.42 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Hubbell outpaces Ted Lyons 54,753 to 8,642 — driven by per-season impact — 3,422 PIV per season to 412 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Hubbell played 16 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).
Carl Hubbell — 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, Carl Hubbell leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Ted Lyons owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Hubbell. PIV agrees: Carl Hubbell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carl Hubbell and Ted Lyons careers compare
From 1928 through 1943, Carl Hubbell and Ted Lyons were in the majors together. With 535 games against 594 across 16 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 4.20 strikeouts and 1.82 walks for Carl Hubbell, 2.32 and 2.42 for Ted Lyons. Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games), and Ted Lyons was mainly a starter (484 starts in 594 games). In WHIP, Carl Hubbell's 1.17 beats Ted Lyons's 1.35. Carl Hubbell owns the better peak by ERA: 1.66 ERA in 1933 for Carl Hubbell against 2.10 ERA in 1942 for Ted Lyons.
Carl Hubbell vs Ted Lyons: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carl Hubbell or Ted Lyons?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Hubbell leads Ted Lyons in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Ted Lyons's 3.67.
- Who won more games?
- Ted Lyons, with 260 to Carl Hubbell's 253.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1,677 to Ted Lyons's 1,073.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Ted Lyons's 1.35.