Tim Lincecum vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia 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; CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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 CC Sabathia (2001–2019) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts; CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Neither — both are at 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? CC Sabathia, with 1.26 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? CC Sabathia, with 3,577.1 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Tim Lincecum's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? CC Sabathia, with 43,212 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Lincecum's 28,769.
Tim Lincecum
CC Sabathia
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 | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 110 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 161 |
| Games | 278 | Leads: 561 |
| Games Started | 270 | Leads: 560 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 38 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,736 | Leads: 3,093 |
| Walks not scored | 669 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,506 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 147 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,682.0 | Leads: 3,577.1 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.74 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.29 | 7.78 |
| BB/9 | 3.58 | Leads: 2.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), CC Sabathia outpaces Tim Lincecum 43,212 to 28,769 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: CC Sabathia played 20 seasons to Tim Lincecum's 10, while Tim Lincecum carries the higher per-season figure (2,877 to 2,161). 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)
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, CC Sabathia 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 CC Sabathia. PIV agrees: CC Sabathia 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 CC Sabathia careers compare
Tim Lincecum and CC Sabathia were active at the same time between 2007 and 2016. CC Sabathia has the far longer record, 561 games against 278 across 10 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Tim Lincecum comes out ahead, it is in saves (1 to 0) and strikeouts per nine (9.29 to 7.78). The per-nine rows read 9.29 strikeouts and 3.58 walks for Tim Lincecum, 7.78 and 2.76 for CC Sabathia. Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games), and CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games). In WHIP, CC Sabathia's 1.26 beats Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
Tim Lincecum vs CC Sabathia: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Lincecum or CC Sabathia?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, CC Sabathia leads Tim Lincecum in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Neither — both are at 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- CC Sabathia, with 1.26 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.