Jon Lester vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Lester has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jon Lester played 2006–2021 as a pitcher; Tim Lincecum played 2007–2016 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
Jon Lester (2006–2021) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jon Lester finished with 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts; Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jon Lester, with 3.66 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Jon Lester, with 200 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jon Lester, with 1.28 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Jon Lester, with 2,740.0 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Lincecum, with 7 to Jon Lester's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Lincecum, with 28,769 career Pitcher PIV to Jon Lester's 26,549.
Jon Lester
Tim Lincecum
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jon Lester | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 200 | 110 |
| Losses not scored | 117 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 452 | 278 |
| Games Started | Leads: 451 | 270 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 15 | 10 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 7 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,488 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 892 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,610 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 294 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,740.0 | 1,682.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.66 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.28 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 8.17 | Leads: 9.29 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.93 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum edges Jon Lester 28,769 to 26,549 — driven by per-season impact — 2,877 PIV per season to 1,475 — rather than by longevity, since Tim Lincecum played 10 seasons to Jon Lester's 18. 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).
Jon Lester — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tim Lincecum — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jon Lester leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tim Lincecum owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jon Lester. Note that PIV actually grades Tim Lincecum ahead, which means Jon Lester's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jon Lester and Tim Lincecum careers compare
Jon Lester and Tim Lincecum were active at the same time between 2007 and 2016. The table compares 452 games of Jon Lester with 278 of Tim Lincecum across 18 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Tim Lincecum's edges on the table are shutouts (7 to 4), saves (1 to 0), and strikeouts per nine (9.29 to 8.17). By rate, Jon Lester struck out 8.17 and walked 2.93 per nine innings; Tim Lincecum struck out 9.29 and walked 3.58. Jon Lester was mainly a starter (451 starts in 452 games), and Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games).
Jon Lester vs Tim Lincecum: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jon Lester or Tim Lincecum?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jon Lester leads Tim Lincecum in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jon Lester, with 3.66 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Jon Lester, with 200 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jon Lester, with 1.28 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.