Jon Lester vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Lester has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Blake Snell has played 2016–present 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 Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jon Lester finished with 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Jon Lester's 3.66.
- Who won more games? Jon Lester, with 200 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Jon Lester's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Jon Lester, with 2,740.0 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jon Lester, with 4 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Blake Snell, with 27,494 career Pitcher PIV to Jon Lester's 26,549.
Jon Lester
Blake Snell
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jon Lester | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 200 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 117 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 452 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 451 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 15 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 1 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,488 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 892 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,610 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 294 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,740.0 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | 3.66 | Leads: 3.10 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.22 |
| K/9 | 8.17 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.93 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Blake Snell edges Jon Lester 27,494 to 26,549 — driven by per-season impact — 2,749 PIV per season to 1,475 — rather than by longevity, since Blake Snell played 10 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)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Blake Snell 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 Blake Snell. PIV agrees: Blake Snell 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 Blake Snell careers compare
Jon Lester and Blake Snell were active at the same time between 2016 and 2021. The table compares 452 games of Jon Lester with 231 of Blake Snell across 18 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Blake Snell comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.10 to 3.66), WHIP (1.22 to 1.28), and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 8.17). By rate, Jon Lester struck out 8.17 and walked 2.93 per nine innings; Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03. Both had the same role: Jon Lester was mainly a starter (451 starts in 452 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jon Lester vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jon Lester or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jon Lester leads Blake Snell in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Jon Lester's 3.66.
- Who won more games?
- Jon Lester, with 200 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jon Lester, with 2,488 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Jon Lester's 1.28.