Jon Lester vs Jake Peavy: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Lester and Jake Peavy are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 5–5 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jon Lester played 2006–2021 as a pitcher; Jake Peavy played 2002–2016 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 Jake Peavy (2002–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jon Lester finished with 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts; Jake Peavy finished with 152 wins and 2,207 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jake Peavy, with 3.63 to Jon Lester's 3.66.
- Who won more games? Jon Lester, with 200 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Jake Peavy's 2,207.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jake Peavy, with 1.20 to Jon Lester's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Jon Lester, with 2,740.0 to Jake Peavy's 2,377.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jake Peavy, with 6 to Jon Lester's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jake Peavy, with 34,745 career Pitcher PIV to Jon Lester's 26,549.
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. 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 | Jake Peavy |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 200 | 152 |
| Losses not scored | 117 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 452 | 388 |
| Games Started | Leads: 451 | 377 |
| Complete Games | 15 | 15 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 6 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,488 | 2,207 |
| Walks not scored | 892 | 708 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,610 | 2,134 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 294 | 259 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,740.0 | 2,377.0 |
| ERA | 3.66 | Leads: 3.63 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | 8.17 | Leads: 8.36 |
| BB/9 | 2.93 | Leads: 2.68 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jake Peavy leads Jon Lester 34,745 to 26,549 — driven by per-season impact — 1,930 PIV per season to 1,475 — rather than by longevity, since Jake Peavy played 18 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)
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.
Related Matchups
How the Jon Lester and Jake Peavy careers compare
From 2006 through 2016, Jon Lester and Jake Peavy were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 452 games for Jon Lester and 388 for Jake Peavy across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Jon Lester struck out 8.17 and walked 2.93 per nine innings; Jake Peavy struck out 8.36 and walked 2.68. Both had the same role: Jon Lester was mainly a starter (451 starts in 452 games); Jake Peavy was mainly a starter (377 starts in 388 games). Jake Peavy allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.20 WHIP to Jon Lester's 1.28.
Jon Lester vs Jake Peavy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jake Peavy, with 3.63 to Jon Lester's 3.66.
- Who won more games?
- Jon Lester, with 200 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Jake Peavy's 2,207.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jake Peavy, with 1.20 to Jon Lester's 1.28.