Lance McCullers vs Lance McCullers: Career Stats Comparison
Lance McCullers has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lance McCullers played 1985–1992 as a pitcher; Lance McCullers has played 2015–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
Lance McCullers (1985–1992) and Lance McCullers (2015–present) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lance McCullers finished with 28 wins and 442 strikeouts; Lance McCullers has 53 wins and 909 strikeouts through October 6, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lance McCullers, with 3.25 to Lance McCullers's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Lance McCullers, with 53 to Lance McCullers's 28.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lance McCullers, with 909 to Lance McCullers's 442.
- Who had the better WHIP? Lance McCullers, with 1.29 to Lance McCullers's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Lance McCullers, with 818.0 to Lance McCullers's 526.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lance McCullers, with 13,199 career Pitcher PIV to Lance McCullers's 2,764.
Lance McCullers
Lance McCullers
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 1980s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Lance McCullers is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Lance McCullers | Lance McCullers |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 28 | Leads: 53 |
| Losses not scored | 31 | 40 |
| Games | Leads: 306 | 156 |
| Games Started | 9 | Leads: 148 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 39 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 442 | Leads: 909 |
| Walks not scored | 252 | 362 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 427 | 705 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 47 | 74 |
| Innings Pitched | 526.1 | Leads: 818.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.25 | 3.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.29 | 1.30 |
| K/9 | 7.56 | Leads: 10.00 |
| BB/9 | 4.31 | Leads: 3.98 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lance McCullers outpaces Lance McCullers 13,199 to 2,764 — driven by per-season impact — 1,650 PIV per season to 346 — rather than by longevity, since Lance McCullers played 8 seasons to Lance McCullers's 8. 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).
Lance McCullers — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lance McCullers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lance McCullers leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Lance McCullers owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lance McCullers. PIV agrees: Lance McCullers grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lance McCullers and Lance McCullers careers compare
Lance McCullers (1985–1992) was finished before Lance McCullers (2015–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 306 games of Lance McCullers with 156 of Lance McCullers across 8 and 8 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Lance McCullers's edges on the table are games (306 to 156), saves (39 to 0), and ERA (3.25 to 3.85). By rate, Lance McCullers struck out 7.56 and walked 4.31 per nine innings; Lance McCullers struck out 10.00 and walked 3.98. Their roles differ: Lance McCullers worked mostly in relief (9 starts in 306 games, 39 saves); Lance McCullers was mainly a starter (148 starts in 156 games). Lance McCullers and Lance McCullers's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Lance McCullers vs Lance McCullers: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lance McCullers or Lance McCullers?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lance McCullers leads Lance McCullers in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lance McCullers, with 3.25 to Lance McCullers's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Lance McCullers, with 53 to Lance McCullers's 28.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lance McCullers, with 909 to Lance McCullers's 442.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Lance McCullers, with 1.29 to Lance McCullers's 1.30.