Max Fried vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove 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). Max Fried has played 2017–present as a pitcher; Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 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
Max Fried (2017–present) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts. 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 Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Fried, with 1.14 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Max Fried
Lefty Grove
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 2010s and the 1920s 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 | Max Fried | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 141 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 616 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 457 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 298 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 35 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 55 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 3,940.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.73 | 5.18 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.49 | 2.71 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Max Fried 81,321 to 26,852 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,784 PIV per season to 2,984, across 17 seasons to 9. 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).
Max Fried — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove 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 Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Max Fried and Lefty Grove careers compare
Lefty Grove (1925–1941) was finished before Max Fried (2017–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Max Fried has appeared in 220 games to Lefty Grove's 616. Where Max Fried comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.01 to 3.06), WHIP (1.14 to 1.28), and strikeouts per nine (8.73 to 5.18). By rate, Max Fried struck out 8.73 and walked 2.49 per nine innings; Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71. Both had the same role: Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games); Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games). Max Fried's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Max Fried vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Lefty Grove?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Max Fried in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Fried, with 3.01 to Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Fried, with 1.14 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.