Trevor Bauer vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Trevor Bauer played 2012–2021 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
Trevor Bauer (2012–2021) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Trevor Bauer finished with 83 wins and 1,416 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? Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Trevor Bauer's 3.79.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 225 to Trevor Bauer's 83.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Trevor Bauer's 1,416.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Trevor Bauer's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Max Scherzer, with 3,047.2 to Trevor Bauer's 1,297.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Max Scherzer, with 5 to Trevor Bauer's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Trevor Bauer's 10,908.
Trevor Bauer
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 2010s 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 | Trevor Bauer | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 83 | Leads: 225 |
| Losses not scored | 69 | 126 |
| Games | 222 | Leads: 501 |
| Games Started | 212 | Leads: 492 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 12 |
| Shutouts | 3 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,416 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 491 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,122 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 160 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,297.2 | Leads: 3,047.2 |
| ERA | 3.79 | Leads: 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 9.82 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | 3.41 | Leads: 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Trevor Bauer 68,491 to 10,908 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,425 PIV per season to 992, across 20 seasons to 11. 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).
Trevor Bauer — 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, Max Scherzer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Trevor Bauer owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Max Scherzer. PIV agrees: Max Scherzer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Trevor Bauer and Max Scherzer careers compare
The careers of Trevor Bauer (2012–2021) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) overlapped from 2012 to 2021, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Max Scherzer has the far longer record, 501 games against 222 across 11 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Trevor Bauer comes out ahead, it is in saves (1 to 0). The per-nine rows read 9.82 strikeouts and 3.41 walks for Trevor Bauer, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Both had the same role: Trevor Bauer was mainly a starter (212 starts in 222 games); 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.
Trevor Bauer vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Trevor Bauer or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads Trevor Bauer in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Trevor Bauer's 3.79.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 225 to Trevor Bauer's 83.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Trevor Bauer's 1,416.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Trevor Bauer's 1.24.