Max Fried vs Randy Johnson: Career Stats Comparison
Randy Johnson 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). Max Fried has played 2017–present as a pitcher; Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 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 Randy Johnson (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Randy Johnson finished with 303 wins and 4,875 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 Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Randy Johnson, with 303 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Fried, with 1.14 to Randy Johnson's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Randy Johnson, with 4,135.1 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Randy Johnson, with 37 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Randy Johnson, with 122,530 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Max Fried
Randy Johnson
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 1980s 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 | Randy Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 303 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 166 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 618 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 603 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 100 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 37 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 2 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 4,875 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 1,497 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 3,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 411 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 4,135.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | 8.73 | Leads: 10.61 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.49 | 3.26 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson outpaces Max Fried 122,530 to 26,852 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,105 PIV per season to 2,984, across 24 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)
Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Randy Johnson leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Max Fried owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Randy Johnson. PIV agrees: Randy Johnson 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 Randy Johnson careers compare
No season is shared: Randy Johnson played 1988–2009, Max Fried 2017–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Max Fried has appeared in 220 games to Randy Johnson's 618. Where Max Fried comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.01 to 3.29), WHIP (1.14 to 1.17), and walks per nine (2.49 to 3.26). The per-nine rows read 8.73 strikeouts and 2.49 walks for Max Fried, 10.61 and 3.26 for Randy Johnson. Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games), and Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games). The complete-game row, 6 against 100, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Max Fried's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Max Fried vs Randy Johnson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Randy Johnson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Randy Johnson leads Max Fried in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Fried, with 3.01 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Randy Johnson, with 303 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Fried, with 1.14 to Randy Johnson's 1.17.