Clayton Kershaw vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw (2008–present) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Clayton Kershaw compiled 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Cliff Lee put up 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Clayton Kershaw
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 | Clayton Kershaw | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | 143 |
| Losses | 96 | 91 |
| Games | 455 | 328 |
| Games Started | 451 | 324 |
| Complete Games | 25 | 29 |
| Shutouts | 15 | 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,052 | 1,824 |
| Walks | 713 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,193 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 235 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855 | 2,156 |
| ERA | 2.53 | 3.52 |
| WHIP | 1.02 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 9.62 | 7.61 |
| BB/9 | 2.25 | 1.94 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Cliff Lee 93,455 to 41,719 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,192 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).
Clayton Kershaw — 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, Clayton Kershaw leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Cliff Lee owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. PIV agrees: Clayton Kershaw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.