Tim Hudson vs Jon Lester: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Hudson has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Hudson played 1999–2015 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
Tim Hudson (1999–2015) and Jon Lester (2006–2021) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tim Hudson finished with 222 wins and 2,080 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? Tim Hudson, with 3.49 to Jon Lester's 3.66.
- Who won more games? Tim Hudson, with 222 to Jon Lester's 200.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Tim Hudson's 2,080.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tim Hudson, with 1.24 to Jon Lester's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Hudson, with 3,126.2 to Jon Lester's 2,740.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Hudson, with 13 to Jon Lester's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Hudson, with 40,402 career Pitcher PIV to Jon Lester's 26,549.
Tim Hudson
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, and the 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tim Hudson | Jon Lester |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 222 | 200 |
| Losses not scored | 133 | 117 |
| Games | Leads: 482 | 452 |
| Games Started | Leads: 479 | 451 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 26 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 13 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,080 | Leads: 2,488 |
| Walks not scored | 917 | 892 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,957 | 2,610 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 248 | 294 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,126.2 | 2,740.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.49 | 3.66 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.24 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 5.99 | Leads: 8.17 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.64 | 2.93 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Hudson outpaces Jon Lester 40,402 to 26,549 — driven by per-season impact — 2,377 PIV per season to 1,475 — rather than by longevity, since Tim Hudson played 17 seasons to Jon Lester's 18. 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).
Tim Hudson — 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, Tim Hudson leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Jon Lester owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Hudson. PIV agrees: Tim Hudson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Hudson and Jon Lester careers compare
The careers of Tim Hudson (1999–2015) and Jon Lester (2006–2021) overlapped from 2006 to 2015, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 482 games for Tim Hudson and 452 for Jon Lester across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jon Lester's edges on the table are strikeouts (2,488 to 2,080) and strikeouts per nine (8.17 to 5.99). By rate, Tim Hudson struck out 5.99 and walked 2.64 per nine innings; Jon Lester struck out 8.17 and walked 2.93.
Tim Hudson vs Jon Lester: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Hudson or Jon Lester?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Hudson leads Jon Lester in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tim Hudson, with 3.49 to Jon Lester's 3.66.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Hudson, with 222 to Jon Lester's 200.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Tim Hudson's 2,080.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tim Hudson, with 1.24 to Jon Lester's 1.28.