Pete Alexander vs Greg Maddux: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Greg Maddux played 1986–2008 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
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Greg Maddux (1986–2008) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Greg Maddux finished with 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Greg Maddux's 3.16.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Greg Maddux's 355.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Greg Maddux's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Greg Maddux's 5,008.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Greg Maddux's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to Pete Alexander's 75,743.
Pete Alexander
Greg Maddux
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 1910s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Greg Maddux |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 355 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 227 |
| Games | 696 | Leads: 744 |
| Games Started | 599 | Leads: 740 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 109 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 35 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 3,371 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 999 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 4,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 353 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 5,008.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.16 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 6.06 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 1.80 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Pete Alexander 133,509 to 75,743 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,340 PIV per season to 3,607, across 25 seasons to 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).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Greg Maddux — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Greg Maddux owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. Note that PIV actually grades Greg Maddux ahead, which means Pete Alexander's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Greg Maddux careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Pete Alexander's ended in 1930, and Greg Maddux debuted in 1986. The two careers are close in length, 696 games for Pete Alexander and 744 for Greg Maddux across 21 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Greg Maddux are games (744 to 696), starts (740 to 599), and strikeouts (3,371 to 2,198). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Greg Maddux struck out 6.06 and walked 1.80. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games).
Pete Alexander vs Greg Maddux: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Greg Maddux?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Greg Maddux in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Greg Maddux's 3.16.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Greg Maddux's 355.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Greg Maddux's 1.14.