Cliff Lee vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 10 statistical categories compared on this page. Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 as a pitcher; CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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 CC Sabathia (2001–2019) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cliff Lee compiled 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; CC Sabathia put up 251 wins and 3,093 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 CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? CC Sabathia, with 3,577 to Cliff Lee's 2,156.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? CC Sabathia, with 43,212 career Pitcher PIV to Cliff Lee's 41,719.
CC Sabathia
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 | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses | 91 | 161 |
| Games | 328 | Leads: 561 |
| Games Started | 324 | Leads: 560 |
| Complete Games | 29 | Leads: 38 |
| Shutouts | 12 | 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | Leads: 3,093 |
| Walks | 464 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,116 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 223 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156 | Leads: 3,577 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.52 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | Leads: 7.78 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.76 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), CC Sabathia edges Cliff Lee 43,212 to 41,719 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,161 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)
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, CC Sabathia leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Cliff Lee owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to CC Sabathia. PIV agrees: CC Sabathia grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Cliff Lee vs CC Sabathia: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or CC Sabathia?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, CC Sabathia leads Cliff Lee in 7 of 10 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cliff Lee, with 3.52 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.