Jon Lester vs Andy Pettitte: Career Stats Comparison
Andy Pettitte has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Andy Pettitte played 1995–2013 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 Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jon Lester finished with 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts; Andy Pettitte finished with 256 wins and 2,448 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 Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Jon Lester's 200.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jon Lester, with 1.28 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Andy Pettitte, with 3,316.0 to Jon Lester's 2,740.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Andy Pettitte, with 57,293 career Pitcher PIV to Jon Lester's 26,549.
Jon Lester
Andy Pettitte
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, and the 2000s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jon Lester | Andy Pettitte |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 200 | Leads: 256 |
| Losses not scored | 117 | 153 |
| Games | 452 | Leads: 531 |
| Games Started | 451 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 15 | Leads: 26 |
| Shutouts | 4 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,488 | 2,448 |
| Walks not scored | 892 | 1,031 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,610 | 3,448 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 294 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,740.0 | Leads: 3,316.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.66 | 3.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.28 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.17 | 6.64 |
| BB/9 | 2.93 | Leads: 2.80 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Andy Pettitte outpaces Jon Lester 57,293 to 26,549 — driven by per-season impact — 3,183 PIV per season to 1,475 — rather than by longevity, since Andy Pettitte 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)
Andy Pettitte — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jon Lester leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Andy Pettitte owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jon Lester. Note that PIV actually grades Andy Pettitte 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 Andy Pettitte careers compare
The careers of Jon Lester (2006–2021) and Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) overlapped from 2006 to 2013, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 452 games against 531 across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jon Lester's edges on the table are strikeouts (2,488 to 2,448), ERA (3.66 to 3.85), and WHIP (1.28 to 1.35). By rate, Jon Lester struck out 8.17 and walked 2.93 per nine innings; Andy Pettitte struck out 6.64 and walked 2.80. Both had the same role: Jon Lester was mainly a starter (451 starts in 452 games); Andy Pettitte was mainly a starter (521 starts in 531 games).
Jon Lester vs Andy Pettitte: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jon Lester or Andy Pettitte?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andy Pettitte leads Jon Lester in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jon Lester, with 3.66 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Jon Lester's 200.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jon Lester, with 1.28 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.