Cliff Lee vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
Cliff Lee has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Stephen Strasburg played 2010–2022 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 Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; Stephen Strasburg finished with 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games? Cliff Lee, with 143 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cliff Lee, with 1,824 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Cliff Lee, with 2,156.2 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,470.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cliff Lee, with 41,719 career Pitcher PIV to Stephen Strasburg's 41,364.
Cliff Lee
Stephen Strasburg
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, and the 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cliff Lee | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 143 | 113 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 328 | 247 |
| Games Started | Leads: 324 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 29 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 2 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,824 | 1,723 |
| Walks not scored | 464 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,116 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,156.2 | 1,470.0 |
| ERA | 3.52 | Leads: 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee edges Stephen Strasburg 41,719 to 41,364 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cliff Lee played 15 seasons to Stephen Strasburg's 13, while Stephen Strasburg carries the higher per-season figure (3,182 to 2,781). 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)
Stephen Strasburg — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cliff Lee leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Stephen Strasburg owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cliff Lee. PIV agrees: Cliff Lee 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 Stephen Strasburg careers compare
The careers of Cliff Lee (2002–2014) and Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) overlapped from 2010 to 2014, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 328 games against 247 across 15 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Stephen Strasburg's edges on the table are ERA (3.24 to 3.52), WHIP (1.10 to 1.20), and strikeouts per nine (10.55 to 7.61). By rate, Cliff Lee struck out 7.61 and walked 1.94 per nine innings; Stephen Strasburg struck out 10.55 and walked 2.41. Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games), and Stephen Strasburg was mainly a starter (247 starts in 247 games).
Cliff Lee vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cliff Lee leads Stephen Strasburg in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games?
- Cliff Lee, with 143 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cliff Lee, with 1,824 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.