Tim Lincecum vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Adam Wainwright 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; Adam Wainwright played 2005–2023 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 Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright finished with 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Adam Wainwright, with 3.53 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Adam Wainwright, with 1.24 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Adam Wainwright, with 2,668.1 to Tim Lincecum's 1,682.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Tim Lincecum's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Adam Wainwright, with 44,617 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Lincecum's 28,769.
Tim Lincecum
Adam Wainwright
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 | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 110 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 128 |
| Games | 278 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | 270 | Leads: 411 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 1,736 | Leads: 2,202 |
| Walks not scored | 669 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,506 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 147 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,682.0 | Leads: 2,668.1 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.53 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.29 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | 3.58 | Leads: 2.48 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Adam Wainwright outpaces Tim Lincecum 44,617 to 28,769 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Adam Wainwright played 18 seasons to Tim Lincecum's 10, while Tim Lincecum carries the higher per-season figure (2,877 to 2,479). 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Adam Wainwright 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 Adam Wainwright. PIV agrees: Adam Wainwright 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 Adam Wainwright careers compare
The careers of Tim Lincecum (2007–2016) and Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) overlapped from 2007 to 2016, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Adam Wainwright has the far longer record, 478 games against 278 across 10 and 18 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Tim Lincecum are strikeouts per nine (9.29 to 7.43). By rate, Tim Lincecum struck out 9.29 and walked 3.58 per nine innings; Adam Wainwright struck out 7.43 and walked 2.48. Both had the same role: Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games); Adam Wainwright was mainly a starter (411 starts in 478 games).
Tim Lincecum vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Lincecum or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Adam Wainwright leads Tim Lincecum in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Adam Wainwright, with 3.53 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Tim Lincecum's 110.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Tim Lincecum's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Adam Wainwright, with 1.24 to Tim Lincecum's 1.29.