Corey Kluber vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Corey Kluber has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Tim Lincecum played 2007–2016 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 Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — 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; Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 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 Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Corey Kluber, with 116 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Corey Kluber's 1,725.
- Who had the better WHIP? Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Lincecum, with 1,682.0 to Corey Kluber's 1,641.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Corey Kluber, with 8 to Tim Lincecum's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Corey Kluber, with 36,049 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Lincecum's 28,769.
Corey Kluber
Tim Lincecum
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 | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 116 | 110 |
| Losses not scored | 77 | 89 |
| Games | 271 | Leads: 278 |
| Games Started | 260 | Leads: 270 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 10 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 8 | 7 |
| Saves | 1 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,725 | Leads: 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,486 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 177 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,641.2 | Leads: 1,682.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.44 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.13 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.46 | 9.29 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Corey Kluber leads Tim Lincecum 36,049 to 28,769 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Corey Kluber played 13 seasons to Tim Lincecum's 10, while Tim Lincecum carries the higher per-season figure (2,877 to 2,773). 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)
Tim Lincecum — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Corey Kluber leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tim Lincecum owns strikeouts and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Corey Kluber. PIV agrees: Corey Kluber 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 Tim Lincecum careers compare
From 2011 through 2016, Corey Kluber and Tim Lincecum were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 271 games for Corey Kluber and 278 for Tim Lincecum across 13 and 10 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Tim Lincecum are games (278 to 271), starts (270 to 260), and strikeouts (1,736 to 1,725). The per-nine rows read 9.46 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Corey Kluber, 9.29 and 3.58 for Tim Lincecum. Corey Kluber was mainly a starter (260 starts in 271 games), and Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games).
Corey Kluber vs Tim Lincecum: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Corey Kluber or Tim Lincecum?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Corey Kluber leads Tim Lincecum in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Corey Kluber, with 3.44 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Corey Kluber, with 116 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Corey Kluber's 1,725.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.