Cliff Lee vs Derek Lowe: Career Stats Comparison
Cliff Lee has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Cliff Lee compiled 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; Derek Lowe put up 176 wins and 1,722 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Derek Lowe, with 2,671 to Cliff Lee's 2,156.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Derek Lowe's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cliff Lee, with 41,719 career Pitcher PIV to Derek Lowe's 35,122.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Cliff Lee | Derek Lowe |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 176 |
| Losses | 91 | 157 |
| Games | 328 | Leads: 681 |
| Games Started | 324 | Leads: 377 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 29 | 10 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 86 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,824 | 1,722 |
| Walks | 464 | 794 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,116 | 2,759 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 223 | 217 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156 | Leads: 2,671 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,781 vs 1,849 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).
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Derek Lowe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cliff Lee leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Derek Lowe owns wins and innings pitched. 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
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 12 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.