Tim Lincecum vs Roy Oswalt: Career Stats Comparison
Roy Oswalt has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Lincecum played 2007–2016 as a pitcher; Roy Oswalt played 2001–2013 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
Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) and Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts; Roy Oswalt finished with 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roy Oswalt, with 1,852 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roy Oswalt, with 1.21 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Roy Oswalt, with 2,245.1 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roy Oswalt, with 8 to Tim Lincecum's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roy Oswalt, with 55,095 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Lincecum's 28,769.
Tim Lincecum
Roy Oswalt
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 | Tim Lincecum | Roy Oswalt |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 110 | Leads: 163 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 102 |
| Games | 278 | Leads: 365 |
| Games Started | 270 | Leads: 341 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 20 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 8 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,736 | Leads: 1,852 |
| Walks not scored | 669 | 520 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,506 | 2,199 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 147 | 197 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,682.0 | Leads: 2,245.1 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.36 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.21 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.29 | 7.42 |
| BB/9 | 3.58 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Oswalt outpaces Tim Lincecum 55,095 to 28,769 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,935 PIV per season to 2,877, across 14 seasons to 10. 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).
Tim Lincecum — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Roy Oswalt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roy Oswalt leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tim Lincecum owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roy Oswalt. PIV agrees: Roy Oswalt grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Lincecum and Roy Oswalt careers compare
The careers of Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) and Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) overlapped from 2007 to 2013, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 278 games against 365 across 10 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Tim Lincecum comes out ahead, it is in saves (1 to 0) and strikeouts per nine (9.29 to 7.42). By rate, Tim Lincecum struck out 9.29 and walked 3.58 per nine innings; Roy Oswalt struck out 7.42 and walked 2.08. Both had the same role: Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games); Roy Oswalt was mainly a starter (341 starts in 365 games).
Tim Lincecum vs Roy Oswalt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Lincecum or Roy Oswalt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roy Oswalt leads Tim Lincecum in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roy Oswalt, with 1,852 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roy Oswalt, with 1.21 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.