Jon Lester vs Javier Vazquez: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Lester (2006–2021) and Javier Vazquez (1998–2011) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jon Lester compiled 200 wins and 2,488 strikeouts; Javier Vazquez put up 165 wins and 2,536 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Jon Lester
Javier Vazquez
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 | Javier Vazquez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 200 | 165 |
| Losses | 117 | 160 |
| Games | 452 | 450 |
| Games Started | 451 | 443 |
| Complete Games | 15 | 28 |
| Shutouts | 4 | 8 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,488 | 2,536 |
| Walks | 892 | 763 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,610 | 2,784 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 294 | 373 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,740 | 2,840 |
| ERA | 3.66 | 4.22 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 8.17 | 8.04 |
| BB/9 | 2.93 | 2.42 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Javier Vazquez outpaces Jon Lester 36,249 to 26,549 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,589 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)
Javier Vazquez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Javier Vazquez leads in strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Jon Lester owns wins, ERA, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Javier Vazquez. PIV agrees: Javier Vazquez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.