Jon Lester vs Tim Lincecum: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Lester (2006–2021) and Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jon Lester compiled 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts; Tim Lincecum put up 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Jon Lester | Tim Lincecum |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 200 | 110 |
| Losses | 117 | 89 |
| Games | 452 | 278 |
| Games Started | 451 | 270 |
| Complete Games | 15 | 10 |
| Shutouts | 4 | 7 |
| Saves | 0 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,488 | 1,736 |
| Walks | 892 | 669 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,610 | 1,506 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 294 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,740 | 1,682 |
| ERA | 3.66 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | 8.17 | 9.29 |
| BB/9 | 2.93 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum edges Jon Lester 28,769 to 26,549 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,877 vs 1,475 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).
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.