Steve Carlton vs Max Fried: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton 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). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; Max Fried has played 2017–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
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Max Fried (2017–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 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 Fried, with 3.01 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Fried, with 1.14 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Steve Carlton
Max Fried
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 1960s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Fried is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Max Fried |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 97 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 46 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 220 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 203 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 6 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 4 |
| Saves | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 1,156 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 330 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 1,026 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 94 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 1,192.1 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.01 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 8.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.49 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Max Fried 76,502 to 26,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 27 seasons to Max Fried's 9, while Max Fried carries the higher per-season figure (2,984 to 2,833). 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).
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Max Fried — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Max Fried owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Max Fried careers compare
No season is shared: Steve Carlton played 1965–1988, Max Fried 2017–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Steve Carlton appeared in 741 games to Max Fried's 220. The green cells for Max Fried are ERA (3.01 to 3.22), WHIP (1.14 to 1.25), and strikeouts per nine (8.73 to 7.13). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Max Fried struck out 8.73 and walked 2.49. Both had the same role: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games). Max Fried's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Steve Carlton vs Max Fried: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Max Fried?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Max Fried in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Fried, with 3.01 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Fried, with 1.14 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.