Steve Carlton vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton 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). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 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
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 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? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Max Scherzer's 3,557.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Max Scherzer's 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Max Scherzer's 68,491.
Steve Carlton
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 1960s 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 | Steve Carlton | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 501 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton leads Max Scherzer 76,502 to 68,491 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 27 seasons to Max Scherzer's 20, while Max Scherzer carries the higher per-season figure (3,425 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 Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Max Scherzer owns 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 Scherzer careers compare
No season is shared: Steve Carlton played 1965–1988, Max Scherzer 2008–present. With 741 games against 501 across 27 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Max Scherzer comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (1.09 to 1.25), strikeouts per nine (10.50 to 7.13), and walks per nine (2.40 to 3.16). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). Complete games (254 to 12) show how differently the two eras used starters. Because Max Scherzer is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Steve Carlton vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Max Scherzer in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Max Scherzer's 3,557.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.