Cliff Lee vs Johan Santana: Career Stats Comparison
Cliff Lee and Johan Santana are close to even, splitting the 12 statistical categories compared on this page 6–6. Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 as a pitcher; Johan Santana played 2000–2012 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 Johan Santana (2000–2012) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cliff Lee compiled 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; Johan Santana put up 139 wins and 1,988 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Johan Santana, with 3.20 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games? Cliff Lee, with 143 to Johan Santana's 139.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Johan Santana, with 1,988 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Johan Santana, with 1.13 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Cliff Lee, with 2,156 to Johan Santana's 2,025.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Johan Santana's 10.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Johan Santana, with 48,732 career Pitcher PIV to Cliff Lee's 41,719.
Johan Santana
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 | Johan Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 143 | 139 |
| Losses | 91 | 78 |
| Games | 328 | Leads: 360 |
| Games Started | Leads: 324 | 284 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 29 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 10 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Walks | 464 | 567 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,116 | 1,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 223 | 220 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,156 | 2,025 |
| ERA | 3.52 | Leads: 3.20 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | Leads: 8.83 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.52 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johan Santana leads Cliff Lee 48,732 to 41,719 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,061 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)
Johan Santana — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johan Santana leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Cliff Lee owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Johan Santana. PIV agrees: Johan Santana grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Cliff Lee vs Johan Santana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Johan Santana, with 3.20 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games?
- Cliff Lee, with 143 to Johan Santana's 139.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Johan Santana, with 1,988 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Johan Santana, with 1.13 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.