Max Fried vs Corey Kluber: Career Stats Comparison
Corey Kluber has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Corey Kluber played 2011–2023 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 Corey Kluber (2011–2023) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Corey Kluber finished with 116 wins and 1,725 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 Corey Kluber's 3.44.
- Who won more games? Corey Kluber, with 116 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Corey Kluber, with 1,725 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Max Fried's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Corey Kluber, with 1,641.2 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Corey Kluber, with 8 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Corey Kluber, with 36,049 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Max Fried
Corey Kluber
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, 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 | Corey Kluber |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 116 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 77 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 271 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 260 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 18 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 8 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 1,725 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 1,486 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 177 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 1,641.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.44 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 8.73 | Leads: 9.46 |
| BB/9 | 2.49 | Leads: 2.02 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Corey Kluber outpaces Max Fried 36,049 to 26,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Corey Kluber played 13 seasons to Max Fried's 9, while Max Fried carries the higher per-season figure (2,984 to 2,773). 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)
Corey Kluber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Corey Kluber leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Max Fried owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Corey Kluber. PIV agrees: Corey Kluber 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 Corey Kluber careers compare
From 2017 through 2023, Max Fried and Corey Kluber were in the majors together. With 220 games against 271 across 9 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Max Fried comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.01 to 3.44). By rate, Max Fried struck out 8.73 and walked 2.49 per nine innings; Corey Kluber struck out 9.46 and walked 2.02. Both had the same role: Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games); Corey Kluber was mainly a starter (260 starts in 271 games). In WHIP, Corey Kluber's 1.13 beats Max Fried's 1.14. Max Fried's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Max Fried vs Corey Kluber: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Corey Kluber?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Corey Kluber leads Max Fried in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Fried, with 3.01 to Corey Kluber's 3.44.
- Who won more games?
- Corey Kluber, with 116 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Corey Kluber, with 1,725 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Max Fried's 1.14.