Derek Lowe vs Javier Vazquez: Career Stats Comparison
Javier Vazquez has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Javier Vazquez played 1998–2011 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 Javier Vazquez (1998–2011) — both debuted in the 1990s. Derek Lowe finished with 176 wins and 1,722 strikeouts; Javier Vazquez finished with 165 wins and 2,536 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Javier Vazquez, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Derek Lowe, with 4.03 to Javier Vazquez's 4.22.
- Who won more games? Derek Lowe, with 176 to Javier Vazquez's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Javier Vazquez, with 2,536 to Derek Lowe's 1,722.
- Who had the better WHIP? Javier Vazquez, with 1.25 to Derek Lowe's 1.33.
- How many innings did each pitch? Derek Lowe 2,671.1, Javier Vazquez 2,840.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Javier Vazquez, with 8 to Derek Lowe's 4.
Derek Lowe
Javier Vazquez
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 | Javier Vazquez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 176 | 165 |
| Losses not scored | 157 | 160 |
| Games not scored | 681 | 450 |
| Games Started not scored | 377 | 443 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 8 |
| Saves not scored | 86 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,722 | Leads: 2,536 |
| Walks not scored | 794 | 763 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,759 | 2,784 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 217 | 373 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,671.1 | 2,840.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 4.03 | 4.22 |
| WHIP | 1.33 | Leads: 1.25 |
| K/9 | 5.80 | Leads: 8.04 |
| BB/9 | 2.68 | Leads: 2.42 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Javier Vazquez edges Derek Lowe 36,249 to 35,122 — driven by per-season impact — 2,589 PIV per season to 2,066 — rather than by longevity, since Javier Vazquez played 14 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)
Javier Vazquez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Javier Vazquez leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, WHIP, and others. Derek Lowe leads 2: wins and ERA. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Javier Vazquez. PIV agrees: Javier Vazquez 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 Javier Vazquez careers compare
Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez were active at the same time between 1998 and 2011. Derek Lowe has the far longer record, 681 games against 450 across 17 and 14 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Derek Lowe's edges on the table are wins (176 to 165) and ERA (4.03 to 4.22). By rate, Derek Lowe struck out 5.80 and walked 2.68 per nine innings; Javier Vazquez struck out 8.04 and walked 2.42. Derek Lowe split time between starting and relief (377 starts in 681 games), while Javier Vazquez was mainly a starter (443 starts in 450 games). In WHIP, Javier Vazquez's 1.25 beats Derek Lowe's 1.33.
Derek Lowe vs Javier Vazquez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Derek Lowe or Javier Vazquez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Javier Vazquez leads Derek Lowe in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Derek Lowe, with 4.03 to Javier Vazquez's 4.22.
- Who won more games?
- Derek Lowe, with 176 to Javier Vazquez's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Javier Vazquez, with 2,536 to Derek Lowe's 1,722.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Javier Vazquez, with 1.25 to Derek Lowe's 1.33.