Pete Alexander vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Max Scherzer has played 2008–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
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. 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 Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Max Scherzer's 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Max Scherzer's 68,491.
Pete Alexander
Max Scherzer
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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Scherzer is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 501 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander leads Max Scherzer 75,743 to 68,491 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,607 PIV per season to 3,425, across 21 seasons to 20. 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)
Max Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Max Scherzer owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. PIV agrees: Pete Alexander grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Max Scherzer careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Pete Alexander's ended in 1930, and Max Scherzer debuted in 2008. The two careers are close in length, 696 games for Pete Alexander and 501 for Max Scherzer across 21 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Max Scherzer comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts (3,557 to 2,198), WHIP (1.09 to 1.12), and strikeouts per nine (10.50 to 3.81). The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), and Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). Max Scherzer's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Pete Alexander vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Max Scherzer in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.