Tim Lincecum vs Johan Santana: Career Stats Comparison
Johan Santana 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; Johan Santana played 2000–2012 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 Johan Santana (2000–2012) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts; Johan Santana finished with 139 wins and 1,988 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Johan Santana, with 3.20 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Johan Santana, with 139 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Johan Santana, with 1,988 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Johan Santana, with 1.13 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Johan Santana, with 2,025.2 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Johan Santana, with 10 to Tim Lincecum's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Johan Santana, with 48,732 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Lincecum's 28,769.
Tim Lincecum
Johan Santana
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 | Johan Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 110 | Leads: 139 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 78 |
| Games | 278 | Leads: 360 |
| Games Started | 270 | Leads: 284 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 15 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 10 |
| Saves | 1 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,736 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Walks not scored | 669 | 567 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,506 | 1,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 147 | 220 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,682.0 | Leads: 2,025.2 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.20 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.29 | 8.83 |
| BB/9 | 3.58 | Leads: 2.52 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johan Santana outpaces Tim Lincecum 48,732 to 28,769 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,061 PIV per season to 2,877, across 12 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)
Johan Santana — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johan Santana 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 Johan Santana. PIV agrees: Johan Santana 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 Johan Santana careers compare
The careers of Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) and Johan Santana (2000–2012) overlapped from 2007 to 2012, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 278 games against 360 across 10 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Tim Lincecum's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (9.29 to 8.83). The per-nine rows read 9.29 strikeouts and 3.58 walks for Tim Lincecum, 8.83 and 2.52 for Johan Santana. Both had the same role: Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games); Johan Santana was mainly a starter (284 starts in 360 games). In WHIP, Johan Santana's 1.13 beats Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
Tim Lincecum vs Johan Santana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Lincecum or Johan Santana?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johan Santana leads Tim Lincecum in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Johan Santana, with 3.20 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Johan Santana, with 139 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Johan Santana, with 1,988 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Johan Santana, with 1.13 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.