Tim Hudson vs Jon Lester: Career Stats Comparison
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 compiled 222 wins and 2,080 strikeouts; Jon Lester put up 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Tim Hudson | Jon Lester |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 222 | 200 |
| Losses | 133 | 117 |
| Games | 482 | 452 |
| Games Started | 479 | 451 |
| Complete Games | 26 | 15 |
| Shutouts | 13 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,080 | 2,488 |
| Walks | 917 | 892 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,957 | 2,610 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 248 | 294 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,126 | 2,740 |
| ERA | 3.49 | 3.66 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 5.99 | 8.17 |
| BB/9 | 2.64 | 2.93 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Hudson outpaces Jon Lester 40,402 to 26,549 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,377 vs 1,475 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).
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.