Tim Lincecum vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Lincecum has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Blake Snell has played 2016–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 Blake Snell (2016–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; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Tim Lincecum, with 110 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Lincecum, with 1,682.0 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Lincecum, with 7 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Lincecum, with 28,769 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Tim Lincecum
Blake Snell
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.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Tim Lincecum | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 110 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 278 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 270 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 10 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 7 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,736 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 669 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,506 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 147 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,682.0 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.10 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.22 |
| K/9 | 9.29 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.58 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum edges Blake Snell 28,769 to 27,494 — driven by per-season impact — 2,877 PIV per season to 2,749 — rather than by longevity, since Tim Lincecum played 10 seasons to Blake Snell's 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)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Lincecum leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Blake Snell owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Lincecum. PIV agrees: Tim Lincecum 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 Blake Snell careers compare
From 2016 through 2016, Tim Lincecum and Blake Snell were in the majors together. With 278 games against 231 across 10 and 10 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Blake Snell are ERA (3.10 to 3.74), WHIP (1.22 to 1.29), and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 9.29). The per-nine rows read 9.29 strikeouts and 3.58 walks for Tim Lincecum, 11.21 and 4.03 for Blake Snell. Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games), and Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Blake Snell allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.22 WHIP to Tim Lincecum's 1.29. Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Tim Lincecum vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Lincecum or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Lincecum leads Blake Snell in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Lincecum, with 110 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.