Clayton Kershaw vs Jon Lester: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw (2008–present) and Jon Lester (2006–2021) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Clayton Kershaw compiled 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Jon Lester put up 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Clayton Kershaw
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 | Clayton Kershaw | Jon Lester |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | 200 |
| Losses | 96 | 117 |
| Games | 455 | 452 |
| Games Started | 451 | 451 |
| Complete Games | 25 | 15 |
| Shutouts | 15 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,052 | 2,488 |
| Walks | 713 | 892 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,193 | 2,610 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 235 | 294 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855 | 2,740 |
| ERA | 2.53 | 3.66 |
| WHIP | 1.02 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 9.62 | 8.17 |
| BB/9 | 2.25 | 2.93 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Jon Lester 93,455 to 26,549 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,192 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).
Clayton Kershaw — 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, Clayton Kershaw leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jon Lester 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.