Derek Lowe vs Shane Reynolds: Career Stats Comparison
Shane Reynolds has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Derek Lowe played 1997–2013 as a pitcher; Shane Reynolds played 1992–2004 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
Derek Lowe (1997–2013) and Shane Reynolds (1992–2004) — both debuted in the 1990s. Derek Lowe finished with 176 wins and 1,722 strikeouts; Shane Reynolds finished with 114 wins and 1,403 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Shane Reynolds, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Derek Lowe, with 4.03 to Shane Reynolds's 4.09.
- Who won more games? Derek Lowe, with 176 to Shane Reynolds's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Derek Lowe, with 1,722 to Shane Reynolds's 1,403.
- Who had the better WHIP? Shane Reynolds, with 1.31 to Derek Lowe's 1.33.
- How many innings did each pitch? Derek Lowe 2,671.1, Shane Reynolds 1,791.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Shane Reynolds, with 7 to Derek Lowe's 4.
Derek Lowe
Shane Reynolds
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Derek Lowe | Shane Reynolds |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 176 | 114 |
| Losses not scored | 157 | 96 |
| Games not scored | 681 | 305 |
| Games Started not scored | 377 | 278 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 20 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 7 |
| Saves not scored | 86 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,722 | 1,403 |
| Walks not scored | 794 | 419 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,759 | 1,935 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 217 | 191 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,671.1 | 1,791.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 4.03 | 4.09 |
| WHIP | 1.33 | Leads: 1.31 |
| K/9 | 5.80 | Leads: 7.05 |
| BB/9 | 2.68 | Leads: 2.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Shane Reynolds edges Derek Lowe 37,791 to 35,122 — driven by per-season impact — 2,907 PIV per season to 2,066 — rather than by longevity, since Shane Reynolds played 13 seasons to Derek Lowe's 17. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Derek Lowe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Shane Reynolds — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Shane Reynolds leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Derek Lowe leads 3: wins, strikeouts, and ERA. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Shane Reynolds. PIV agrees: Shane Reynolds grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Derek Lowe and Shane Reynolds careers compare
From 1997 through 2004, Derek Lowe and Shane Reynolds were in the majors together. The table compares 681 games of Derek Lowe with 305 of Shane Reynolds across 17 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Derek Lowe comes out ahead, it is in wins (176 to 114), strikeouts (1,722 to 1,403), and ERA (4.03 to 4.09). By rate, Derek Lowe struck out 5.80 and walked 2.68 per nine innings; Shane Reynolds struck out 7.05 and walked 2.10. Their roles differ: Derek Lowe split time between starting and relief (377 starts in 681 games); Shane Reynolds was mainly a starter (278 starts in 305 games).
Derek Lowe vs Shane Reynolds: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Derek Lowe or Shane Reynolds?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Shane Reynolds leads Derek Lowe in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Derek Lowe, with 4.03 to Shane Reynolds's 4.09.
- Who won more games?
- Derek Lowe, with 176 to Shane Reynolds's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Derek Lowe, with 1,722 to Shane Reynolds's 1,403.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Shane Reynolds, with 1.31 to Derek Lowe's 1.33.