Cliff Lee vs Pedro Martinez: Career Stats Comparison
Pedro Martinez has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 as a pitcher; Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 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 Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) — 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; Pedro Martinez put up 219 wins and 3,154 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games? Pedro Martinez, with 219 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Pedro Martinez, with 2,827 to Cliff Lee's 2,156.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pedro Martinez, with 17 to Cliff Lee's 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pedro Martinez, with 113,314 career Pitcher PIV to Cliff Lee's 41,719.
Pedro Martinez
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 | Pedro Martinez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 219 |
| Losses | 91 | 100 |
| Games | 328 | Leads: 476 |
| Games Started | 324 | Leads: 409 |
| Complete Games | 29 | Leads: 46 |
| Shutouts | 12 | Leads: 17 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | Leads: 3,154 |
| Walks | 464 | 760 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,116 | 2,221 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 223 | 239 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156 | Leads: 2,827 |
| ERA | 3.52 | Leads: 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.05 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | Leads: 10.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.42 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Martinez outpaces Cliff Lee 113,314 to 41,719 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (6,295 vs 2,781 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)
Pedro Martinez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pedro Martinez leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Cliff Lee owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pedro Martinez. PIV agrees: Pedro Martinez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Cliff Lee vs Pedro Martinez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or Pedro Martinez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pedro Martinez leads Cliff Lee in 11 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games?
- Pedro Martinez, with 219 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.