Steve Carlton vs Greg Maddux: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 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
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Greg Maddux (1986–2008) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 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? Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Steve Carlton's 329.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Greg Maddux's 3,371.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Greg Maddux's 5,008.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Greg Maddux's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to Steve Carlton's 76,502.
Steve Carlton
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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Greg Maddux |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 329 | Leads: 355 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 227 |
| Games | 741 | Leads: 744 |
| Games Started | 709 | Leads: 740 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 109 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 35 |
| Saves | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 3,371 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 999 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 4,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 353 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 5,008.1 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.16 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 6.06 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 1.80 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Steve Carlton 133,509 to 76,502 — driven by per-season impact — 5,340 PIV per season to 2,833 — rather than by longevity, since Greg Maddux played 25 seasons to Steve Carlton's 27. 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)
Greg Maddux — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Maddux leads in wins, ERA, and WHIP, while Steve Carlton owns strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Greg Maddux. PIV agrees: Greg Maddux 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 Greg Maddux careers compare
From 1986 through 1988, Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 741 games for Steve Carlton and 744 for Greg Maddux across 27 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Greg Maddux struck out 6.06 and walked 1.80. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games). Greg Maddux allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.14 WHIP to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
Steve Carlton vs Greg Maddux: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Steve Carlton's 329.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Greg Maddux's 3,371.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.