Tim Lincecum vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Chris Sale has played 2010–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
Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) and Chris Sale (2010–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts; Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Chris Sale, with 159 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Chris Sale, with 2,246.2 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Lincecum, with 7 to Chris Sale's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Lincecum's 28,769.
Tim Lincecum
Chris Sale
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.
Chris Sale is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Tim Lincecum | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 110 | Leads: 159 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 97 |
| Games | 278 | Leads: 420 |
| Games Started | 270 | Leads: 339 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 7 | 4 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 12 |
| Strikeouts | 1,736 | Leads: 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 669 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,506 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 147 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,682.0 | Leads: 2,246.2 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 9.29 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | 3.58 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Tim Lincecum 65,834 to 28,769 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,389 PIV per season to 2,877, across 15 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)
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chris Sale leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tim Lincecum owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Sale. PIV agrees: Chris Sale 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 Chris Sale careers compare
From 2010 through 2016, Tim Lincecum and Chris Sale were in the majors together. The table compares 278 games of Tim Lincecum with 420 of Chris Sale across 10 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Tim Lincecum's edges on the table are shutouts (7 to 4). By rate, Tim Lincecum struck out 9.29 and walked 3.58 per nine innings; Chris Sale struck out 11.13 and walked 2.08. Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games), and Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). Chris Sale allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to Tim Lincecum's 1.29. Chris Sale's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Tim Lincecum vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Lincecum or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Sale leads Tim Lincecum in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Chris Sale, with 159 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.