Cliff Lee vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
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.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Cliff Lee | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | 251 |
| Losses | 91 | 161 |
| Games | 328 | 561 |
| Games Started | 324 | 560 |
| Complete Games | 29 | 38 |
| Shutouts | 12 | 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | 3,093 |
| Walks | 464 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,116 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 223 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156 | 3,577 |
| ERA | 3.52 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | 7.78 |
| BB/9 | 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.