Sparky Lyle vs Devin Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Sparky Lyle has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Sparky Lyle played 1967–1982 as a pitcher; Devin Williams has played 2019–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
Sparky Lyle (1967–1982) and Devin Williams (2019–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Sparky Lyle finished with 99 wins and 873 strikeouts; Devin Williams has 34 wins and 517 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Devin Williams, with 2.69 to Sparky Lyle's 2.88.
- Who won more games? Sparky Lyle, with 99 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sparky Lyle, with 873 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP? Devin Williams, with 1.11 to Sparky Lyle's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Sparky Lyle, with 1,390.1 to Devin Williams's 338.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sparky Lyle, with 16,426 career Pitcher PIV to Devin Williams's 13,215.
Sparky Lyle
Devin Williams
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 1960s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Devin Williams is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Sparky Lyle | Devin Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 99 | 34 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 18 |
| Games | Leads: 899 | 352 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 238 | 102 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 873 | 517 |
| Walks not scored | 481 | 158 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,292 | 217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 84 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,390.1 | 338.1 |
| ERA | 2.88 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 5.65 | Leads: 13.75 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.11 | 4.20 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sparky Lyle leads Devin Williams 16,426 to 13,215 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Sparky Lyle played 18 seasons to Devin Williams's 7, while Devin Williams carries the higher per-season figure (1,888 to 913). 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).
Sparky Lyle — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Devin Williams
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sparky Lyle leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Devin Williams owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sparky Lyle. PIV agrees: Sparky Lyle grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Sparky Lyle and Devin Williams careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Sparky Lyle's ended in 1982, and Devin Williams debuted in 2019. Sparky Lyle has the far longer record, 899 games against 352 across 18 and 7 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Devin Williams's edges on the table are ERA (2.69 to 2.88), WHIP (1.11 to 1.28), and strikeouts per nine (13.75 to 5.65). The per-nine rows read 5.65 strikeouts and 3.11 walks for Sparky Lyle, 13.75 and 4.20 for Devin Williams. Both had the same role: Sparky Lyle worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 899 games, 238 saves); Devin Williams worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 352 games, 102 saves). Devin Williams's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Sparky Lyle vs Devin Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sparky Lyle or Devin Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sparky Lyle leads Devin Williams in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Devin Williams, with 2.69 to Sparky Lyle's 2.88.
- Who won more games?
- Sparky Lyle, with 99 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sparky Lyle, with 873 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Devin Williams, with 1.11 to Sparky Lyle's 1.28.