Max Fried vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Sandy Koufax 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; Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 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 Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Max Fried's 3.01.
- Who won more games? Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Max Fried's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Sandy Koufax, with 2,324.1 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Max Fried
Sandy Koufax
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 1950s 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 | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 165 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 87 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 397 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 314 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 137 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 40 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 9 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 2,396 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 2,324.1 |
| ERA | 3.01 | Leads: 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 8.73 | Leads: 9.28 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.49 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Max Fried 63,020 to 26,852 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,252 PIV per season to 2,984, across 12 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)
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Max Fried owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sandy Koufax. PIV agrees: Sandy Koufax 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 Sandy Koufax careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Sandy Koufax's ended in 1966, and Max Fried debuted in 2017. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Max Fried has appeared in 220 games to Sandy Koufax's 397. The green cells for Max Fried are walks per nine (2.49 to 3.16). By rate, Max Fried struck out 8.73 and walked 2.49 per nine innings; Sandy Koufax struck out 9.28 and walked 3.16. Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games), and Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games). The complete-game row, 6 against 137, 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 Sandy Koufax: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Sandy Koufax?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sandy Koufax leads Max Fried in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Max Fried's 3.01.
- Who won more games?
- Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Max Fried's 1.14.