Cliff Lee vs Roy Oswalt: Career Stats Comparison
Roy Oswalt has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 as a pitcher; Roy Oswalt played 2001–2013 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 Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; Roy Oswalt finished with 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games? Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roy Oswalt, with 1,852 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Roy Oswalt, with 2,245.1 to Cliff Lee's 2,156.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Roy Oswalt's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roy Oswalt, with 55,095 career Pitcher PIV to Cliff Lee's 41,719.
Cliff Lee
Roy Oswalt
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cliff Lee | Roy Oswalt |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 163 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 102 |
| Games | 328 | Leads: 365 |
| Games Started | 324 | Leads: 341 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 29 | 20 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 8 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | Leads: 1,852 |
| Walks not scored | 464 | 520 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,116 | 2,199 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 197 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156.2 | Leads: 2,245.1 |
| ERA | 3.52 | Leads: 3.36 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.61 | 7.42 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Oswalt leads Cliff Lee 55,095 to 41,719 — driven by per-season impact — 3,935 PIV per season to 2,781 — rather than by longevity, since Roy Oswalt played 14 seasons to Cliff Lee's 15. 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).
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Roy Oswalt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roy Oswalt leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Cliff Lee owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roy Oswalt. PIV agrees: Roy Oswalt 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 Roy Oswalt careers compare
The careers of Cliff Lee (2002–2014) and Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) overlapped from 2002 to 2013, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 328 games for Cliff Lee and 365 for Roy Oswalt across 15 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Cliff Lee struck out 7.61 and walked 1.94 per nine innings; Roy Oswalt struck out 7.42 and walked 2.08. Both had the same role: Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games); Roy Oswalt was mainly a starter (341 starts in 365 games). In WHIP, Cliff Lee's 1.20 beats Roy Oswalt's 1.21.
Cliff Lee vs Roy Oswalt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roy Oswalt leads Cliff Lee in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games?
- Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roy Oswalt, with 1,852 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.