Jon Lester vs Jake Peavy: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Lester (2006–2021) and Jake Peavy (2002–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jon Lester compiled 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts; Jake Peavy put up 152 wins and 2,207 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Jon Lester
Jake Peavy
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 | Jake Peavy |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 200 | 152 |
| Losses | 117 | 126 |
| Games | 452 | 388 |
| Games Started | 451 | 377 |
| Complete Games | 15 | 15 |
| Shutouts | 4 | 6 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,488 | 2,207 |
| Walks | 892 | 708 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,610 | 2,134 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 294 | 259 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,740 | 2,377 |
| ERA | 3.66 | 3.63 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 8.17 | 8.36 |
| BB/9 | 2.93 | 2.68 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jake Peavy leads Jon Lester 34,745 to 26,549 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,930 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)
Jake Peavy — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jake Peavy leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jon Lester owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jake Peavy. PIV agrees: Jake Peavy grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.