Cliff Lee vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia has the better career line of the two, leading 4 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; 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 debuted in the 2000s. Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? CC Sabathia, in 4 of the 8 scored 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.
- How many innings did each pitch? Cliff Lee 2,156.2, CC Sabathia 3,577.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 12.
Cliff Lee
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. 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 | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 161 |
| Games not scored | 328 | 561 |
| Games Started not scored | 324 | 560 |
| Complete Games | 29 | Leads: 38 |
| Shutouts | 12 | 12 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | Leads: 3,093 |
| Walks not scored | 464 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,116 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,156.2 | 3,577.1 |
| 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 longevity gap rather than a per-season one: CC Sabathia played 19 seasons to Cliff Lee's 13, while Cliff Lee carries the higher per-season figure (3,209 to 2,274). 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
CC Sabathia leads 4 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, strikeouts, and strikeouts per nine. Cliff Lee leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and walks per nine. 1 is tied. 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
How the Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia careers compare
Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia were active at the same time between 2002 and 2014. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Cliff Lee appeared in 328 games to CC Sabathia's 561. The green cells for Cliff Lee are ERA (3.52 to 3.74), WHIP (1.20 to 1.26), and walks per nine (1.94 to 2.76). The per-nine rows read 7.61 strikeouts and 1.94 walks for Cliff Lee, 7.78 and 2.76 for CC Sabathia. Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games), and CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games). In WHIP, Cliff Lee's 1.20 beats CC Sabathia's 1.26.
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 4 of the 8 scored 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.