Bob Feller vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Feller played 1936–1956 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
Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 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? Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827.0 to Max Scherzer's 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Feller's 48,739.
Bob Feller
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 1930s 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 | Bob Feller | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 266 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 570 | 501 |
| Games Started | 484 | Leads: 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 279 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 21 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,581 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,827.0 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.25 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 6.07 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Bob Feller 68,491 to 48,739 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,425 PIV per season to 2,708, across 20 seasons to 18. 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).
Bob Feller — 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 strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Bob Feller owns wins, ERA, and innings pitched. 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 Bob Feller and Max Scherzer careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bob Feller's ended in 1956, and Max Scherzer debuted in 2008. With 570 games against 501 across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 6.07 strikeouts and 4.15 walks for Bob Feller, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Both had the same role: Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games); Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). The complete-game row, 279 against 12, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Max Scherzer allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.09 WHIP to Bob Feller's 1.32. Max Scherzer's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Bob Feller vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Max Scherzer in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Bob Feller's 2,581.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Bob Feller's 1.32.