Ted Lyons vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Lyons and Hal Newhouser are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ted Lyons played 1923–1946 as a pitcher; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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
Ted Lyons (1923–1946) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Ted Lyons finished with 260 wins and 1,073 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Ted Lyons's 3.67.
- Who won more games? Ted Lyons, with 260 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Ted Lyons's 1,073.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Ted Lyons's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Ted Lyons, with 4,161.0 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Ted Lyons's 27.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Ted Lyons's 8,642.
Ted Lyons
Hal Newhouser
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 1920s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ted Lyons | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 260 | 207 |
| Losses not scored | 230 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 594 | 488 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 374 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 356 | 212 |
| Shutouts | 27 | Leads: 33 |
| Saves | 23 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | 1,073 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 1,121 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,489 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,161.0 | 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.67 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.35 | Leads: 1.31 |
| K/9 | 2.32 | Leads: 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.42 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Ted Lyons 43,492 to 8,642 — driven by per-season impact — 2,558 PIV per season to 412 — rather than by longevity, since Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to Ted Lyons's 21. 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).
Ted Lyons — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Ted Lyons owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal Newhouser. PIV agrees: Hal Newhouser grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ted Lyons and Hal Newhouser careers compare
Ted Lyons and Hal Newhouser were active at the same time between 1939 and 1946. The two careers are close in length, 594 games for Ted Lyons and 488 for Hal Newhouser across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 2.32 strikeouts and 2.42 walks for Ted Lyons, 5.40 and 3.76 for Hal Newhouser. Ted Lyons was mainly a starter (484 starts in 594 games), and Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games). In WHIP, Hal Newhouser's 1.31 beats Ted Lyons's 1.35.
Ted Lyons vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Ted Lyons's 3.67.
- Who won more games?
- Ted Lyons, with 260 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Ted Lyons's 1,073.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Ted Lyons's 1.35.