Jon Lester vs Jonathan Papelbon: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Lester and Jonathan Papelbon are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jon Lester played 2006–2021 as a pitcher; Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016 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 Jonathan Papelbon (2005–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jon Lester finished with 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts; Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Jon Lester's 3.66.
- Who won more games? Jon Lester, with 200 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Jon Lester's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Jon Lester, with 2,740.0 to Jonathan Papelbon's 725.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jon Lester, with 4 to Jonathan Papelbon's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jon Lester, with 26,549 career Pitcher PIV to Jonathan Papelbon's 24,416.
Jon Lester
Jonathan Papelbon
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 | Jonathan Papelbon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 200 | 41 |
| Losses not scored | 117 | 36 |
| Games | 452 | Leads: 689 |
| Games Started | Leads: 451 | 3 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 15 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 368 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,488 | 808 |
| Walks not scored | 892 | 185 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,610 | 572 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 294 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,740.0 | 725.2 |
| ERA | 3.66 | Leads: 2.44 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 8.17 | Leads: 10.02 |
| BB/9 | 2.93 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jon Lester leads Jonathan Papelbon 26,549 to 24,416 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jon Lester played 18 seasons to Jonathan Papelbon's 13, while Jonathan Papelbon carries the higher per-season figure (1,878 to 1,475). 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)
Jonathan Papelbon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jon Lester leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Jonathan Papelbon owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jon Lester. PIV agrees: Jon Lester grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jon Lester and Jonathan Papelbon careers compare
Jon Lester and Jonathan Papelbon were active at the same time between 2006 and 2016. Jonathan Papelbon has the far longer record, 689 games against 452 across 18 and 13 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. By rate, Jon Lester struck out 8.17 and walked 2.93 per nine innings; Jonathan Papelbon struck out 10.02 and walked 2.29. Jon Lester was mainly a starter (451 starts in 452 games), while Jonathan Papelbon worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 689 games, 368 saves). In WHIP, Jonathan Papelbon's 1.04 beats Jon Lester's 1.28. Only Jon Lester has a season on the peak list; Jonathan Papelbon never reached the qualifying workload.
Jon Lester vs Jonathan Papelbon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Jon Lester's 3.66.
- Who won more games?
- Jon Lester, with 200 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Jon Lester's 1.28.