Tim Lincecum vs Brian Wilson: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Lincecum has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Brian Wilson played 2006–2014 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 Brian Wilson (2006–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tim Lincecum finished with 110 wins and 1,736 strikeouts; Brian Wilson finished with 24 wins and 407 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Brian Wilson, with 3.30 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Tim Lincecum, with 110 to Brian Wilson's 24.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Brian Wilson's 407.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tim Lincecum, with 1.29 to Brian Wilson's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Lincecum, with 1,682.0 to Brian Wilson's 382.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Lincecum, with 7 to Brian Wilson's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tim Lincecum, with 28,769 career Pitcher PIV to Brian Wilson's 9,257.
Tim Lincecum
Brian Wilson
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 | Brian Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 110 | 24 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 25 |
| Games | 278 | Leads: 394 |
| Games Started | Leads: 270 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 7 | 0 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 172 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,736 | 407 |
| Walks not scored | 669 | 175 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,506 | 343 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 147 | 22 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,682.0 | 382.0 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.30 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.29 | 1.36 |
| K/9 | 9.29 | Leads: 9.59 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.58 | 4.12 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Lincecum outpaces Brian Wilson 28,769 to 9,257 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,877 PIV per season to 1,029, across 10 seasons to 9. 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)
Brian Wilson
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Lincecum leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Brian Wilson owns ERA 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 Brian Wilson careers compare
Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson were active at the same time between 2007 and 2014. With 278 games against 394 across 10 and 9 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Brian Wilson's edges on the table are games (394 to 278), saves (172 to 1), and ERA (3.30 to 3.74). The per-nine rows read 9.29 strikeouts and 3.58 walks for Tim Lincecum, 9.59 and 4.12 for Brian Wilson. Their roles differ: Tim Lincecum was mainly a starter (270 starts in 278 games); Brian Wilson worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 394 games, 172 saves). In WHIP, Tim Lincecum's 1.29 beats Brian Wilson's 1.36.
Tim Lincecum vs Brian Wilson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Lincecum or Brian Wilson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Lincecum leads Brian Wilson in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Brian Wilson, with 3.30 to Tim Lincecum's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Lincecum, with 110 to Brian Wilson's 24.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Lincecum, with 1,736 to Brian Wilson's 407.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tim Lincecum, with 1.29 to Brian Wilson's 1.36.