Brad Lidge vs J. J. Putz: Career Stats Comparison
Brad Lidge 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). Brad Lidge played 2002–2012 as a pitcher; J. J. Putz played 2003–2014 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
Brad Lidge (2002–2012) and J. J. Putz (2003–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Brad Lidge finished with 26 wins and 799 strikeouts; J. J. Putz finished with 37 wins and 599 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? J. J. Putz, with 3.08 to Brad Lidge's 3.54.
- Who won more games? J. J. Putz, with 37 to Brad Lidge's 26.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Brad Lidge, with 799 to J. J. Putz's 599.
- Who had the better WHIP? J. J. Putz, with 1.15 to Brad Lidge's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Brad Lidge, with 603.1 to J. J. Putz's 566.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Brad Lidge, with 17,126 career Pitcher PIV to J. J. Putz's 14,932.
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 | Brad Lidge | J. J. Putz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 26 | Leads: 37 |
| Losses not scored | 32 | 33 |
| Games | Leads: 603 | 572 |
| Games Started | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 225 | 189 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 799 | 599 |
| Walks not scored | 287 | 184 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 492 | 469 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 50 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 603.1 | 566.2 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.08 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.15 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.92 | 9.51 |
| BB/9 | 4.28 | Leads: 2.92 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Brad Lidge leads J. J. Putz 17,126 to 14,932 — driven by per-season impact — 1,557 PIV per season to 1,244 — rather than by longevity, since Brad Lidge played 11 seasons to J. J. Putz's 12. 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).
Brad Lidge
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
J. J. Putz
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Brad Lidge leads in strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while J. J. Putz owns wins, ERA, and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Brad Lidge. PIV agrees: Brad Lidge grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brad Lidge and J. J. Putz careers compare
The careers of Brad Lidge (2002–2012) and J. J. Putz (2003–2014) overlapped from 2003 to 2012, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 603 games for Brad Lidge and 572 for J. J. Putz across 11 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for J. J. Putz are wins (37 to 26), ERA (3.08 to 3.54), and WHIP (1.15 to 1.29). The per-nine rows read 11.92 strikeouts and 4.28 walks for Brad Lidge, 9.51 and 2.92 for J. J. Putz.
Brad Lidge vs J. J. Putz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brad Lidge or J. J. Putz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Brad Lidge leads J. J. Putz in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- J. J. Putz, with 3.08 to Brad Lidge's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- J. J. Putz, with 37 to Brad Lidge's 26.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Brad Lidge, with 799 to J. J. Putz's 599.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- J. J. Putz, with 1.15 to Brad Lidge's 1.29.