Cliff Lee vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
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 compiled 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; Stephen Strasburg put up 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Cliff Lee | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | 113 |
| Losses | 91 | 62 |
| Games | 328 | 247 |
| Games Started | 324 | 247 |
| Complete Games | 29 | 2 |
| Shutouts | 12 | 2 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | 1,723 |
| Walks | 464 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,116 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 223 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156 | 1,470 |
| ERA | 3.52 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | 10.55 |
| BB/9 | 1.94 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee edges Stephen Strasburg 41,719 to 41,364 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,781 vs 3,182 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)
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.