Cliff Lee vs Derek Lowe: Career Stats Comparison
Cliff Lee has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 as a pitcher; Derek Lowe played 1997–2013 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
Cliff Lee (2002–2014) and Derek Lowe (1997–2013) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 1990s respectively and share 12 seasons. Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; Derek Lowe finished with 176 wins and 1,722 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Cliff Lee, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Cliff Lee, with 3.52 to Derek Lowe's 4.03.
- Who won more games? Derek Lowe, with 176 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cliff Lee, with 1,824 to Derek Lowe's 1,722.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Derek Lowe's 1.33.
- How many innings did each pitch? Cliff Lee 2,156.2, Derek Lowe 2,671.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Derek Lowe's 4.
Cliff Lee
Derek Lowe
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cliff Lee | Derek Lowe |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 176 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 157 |
| Games not scored | 328 | 681 |
| Games Started not scored | 324 | 377 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 29 | 10 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 4 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 86 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,824 | 1,722 |
| Walks not scored | 464 | 794 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,116 | 2,759 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 217 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,156.2 | 2,671.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.52 | 4.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.33 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.61 | 5.80 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.68 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee leads Derek Lowe 41,719 to 35,122 — driven by per-season impact — 3,209 PIV per season to 2,066 — rather than by longevity, since Cliff Lee played 13 seasons to Derek Lowe's 17. 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).
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Derek Lowe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Cliff Lee leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Derek Lowe leads 1: wins. 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 Cliff Lee and Derek Lowe careers compare
From 2002 through 2013, Cliff Lee and Derek Lowe were in the majors together. Derek Lowe has the far longer record, 681 games against 328 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Derek Lowe comes out ahead, it is in wins (176 to 143). The per-nine rows read 7.61 strikeouts and 1.94 walks for Cliff Lee, 5.80 and 2.68 for Derek Lowe. Their roles differ: Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games); Derek Lowe split time between starting and relief (377 starts in 681 games). Cliff Lee allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.20 WHIP to Derek Lowe's 1.33.
Cliff Lee vs Derek Lowe: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or Derek Lowe?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cliff Lee leads Derek Lowe in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cliff Lee, with 3.52 to Derek Lowe's 4.03.
- Who won more games?
- Derek Lowe, with 176 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cliff Lee, with 1,824 to Derek Lowe's 1,722.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Derek Lowe's 1.33.