Roger Clemens vs Greg Maddux: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Roger Clemens played 1984–2007 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
Roger Clemens (1984–2007) and Greg Maddux (1986–2008) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Roger Clemens compiled 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts; Greg Maddux put up 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? Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Greg Maddux's 3.16.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Roger Clemens's 354.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Greg Maddux's 3,371.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Roger Clemens's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Maddux, with 5,008 to Roger Clemens's 4,916.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roger Clemens, with 46 to Greg Maddux's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roger Clemens, with 146,187 career Pitcher PIV to Greg Maddux's 133,509.
Roger Clemens
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Roger Clemens | Greg Maddux |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 354 | Leads: 355 |
| Losses | 184 | 227 |
| Games | 709 | Leads: 744 |
| Games Started | 707 | Leads: 740 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 118 | 109 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 46 | 35 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,672 | 3,371 |
| Walks | 1,580 | 999 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,185 | 4,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 363 | 353 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,916 | Leads: 5,008 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.12 | 3.16 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.55 | 6.06 |
| BB/9 | 2.89 | Leads: 1.80 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens leads Greg Maddux 146,187 to 133,509 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (6,091 vs 5,340 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Roger Clemens — 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, Roger Clemens leads in strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Greg Maddux owns wins, WHIP, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roger Clemens. PIV agrees: Roger Clemens grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Roger Clemens vs Greg Maddux: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Clemens or Greg Maddux?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads Roger Clemens in 6 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Greg Maddux's 3.16.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Roger Clemens's 354.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Greg Maddux's 3,371.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Roger Clemens's 1.17.