Cliff Lee vs David Wells: Career Stats Comparison
David Wells 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; David Wells played 1987–2007 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 David Wells (1987–2007) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts; David Wells finished with 239 wins and 2,201 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cliff Lee, with 3.52 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games? David Wells, with 239 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Wells, with 2,201 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to David Wells's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? David Wells, with 3,439.0 to Cliff Lee's 2,156.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cliff Lee, with 41,719 career Pitcher PIV to David Wells's 31,301.
Cliff Lee
David Wells
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cliff Lee | David Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 239 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 157 |
| Games | 328 | Leads: 660 |
| Games Started | 324 | Leads: 489 |
| Complete Games | 29 | Leads: 54 |
| Shutouts | 12 | 12 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | Leads: 2,201 |
| Walks not scored | 464 | 719 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,116 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 407 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156.2 | Leads: 3,439.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.52 | 4.13 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.61 | 5.76 |
| BB/9 | 1.94 | Leads: 1.88 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee leads David Wells 41,719 to 31,301 — driven by per-season impact — 2,781 PIV per season to 1,304 — rather than by longevity, since Cliff Lee played 15 seasons to David Wells's 24. 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)
David Wells — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cliff Lee leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while David Wells owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. 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 David Wells careers compare
Cliff Lee and David Wells were active at the same time between 2002 and 2007. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Cliff Lee appeared in 328 games to David Wells's 660. Cliff Lee's edges on the table are ERA (3.52 to 4.13), WHIP (1.20 to 1.27), and strikeouts per nine (7.61 to 5.76). By rate, Cliff Lee struck out 7.61 and walked 1.94 per nine innings; David Wells struck out 5.76 and walked 1.88. Both had the same role: Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games); David Wells was mainly a starter (489 starts in 660 games).
Cliff Lee vs David Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or David Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Wells leads Cliff Lee in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cliff Lee, with 3.52 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games?
- David Wells, with 239 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Wells, with 2,201 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to David Wells's 1.27.