Corey Kluber vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Cliff Lee has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Corey Kluber played 2011–2023 as a pitcher; Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 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
Corey Kluber (2011–2023) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Corey Kluber finished with 116 wins and 1,725 strikeouts; Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Corey Kluber, with 3.44 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games? Cliff Lee, with 143 to Corey Kluber's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cliff Lee, with 1,824 to Corey Kluber's 1,725.
- Who had the better WHIP? Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Cliff Lee, with 2,156.2 to Corey Kluber's 1,641.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Corey Kluber's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cliff Lee, with 41,719 career Pitcher PIV to Corey Kluber's 36,049.
Corey Kluber
Cliff Lee
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 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Corey Kluber | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 116 | Leads: 143 |
| Losses not scored | 77 | 91 |
| Games | 271 | Leads: 328 |
| Games Started | 260 | Leads: 324 |
| Complete Games | 18 | Leads: 29 |
| Shutouts | 8 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,725 | Leads: 1,824 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,486 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 177 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,641.2 | Leads: 2,156.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.44 | 3.52 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.13 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.46 | 7.61 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee leads Corey Kluber 41,719 to 36,049 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,781 PIV per season to 2,773, across 15 seasons to 13. 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).
Corey Kluber — 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, Cliff Lee leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Corey Kluber owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cliff Lee. PIV agrees: Cliff Lee grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Corey Kluber and Cliff Lee careers compare
From 2011 through 2014, Corey Kluber and Cliff Lee were in the majors together. With 271 games against 328 across 13 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Corey Kluber comes out ahead, it is in saves (1 to 0), ERA (3.44 to 3.52), and WHIP (1.13 to 1.20). The per-nine rows read 9.46 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Corey Kluber, 7.61 and 1.94 for Cliff Lee. Corey Kluber was mainly a starter (260 starts in 271 games), and Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games). Corey Kluber allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.13 WHIP to Cliff Lee's 1.20.
Corey Kluber vs Cliff Lee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Corey Kluber or Cliff Lee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cliff Lee leads Corey Kluber in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Corey Kluber, with 3.44 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games?
- Cliff Lee, with 143 to Corey Kluber's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cliff Lee, with 1,824 to Corey Kluber's 1,725.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.