Max Fried vs Bob Lemon: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Lemon 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; Bob Lemon played 1941–1958 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 Bob Lemon (1941–1958) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Bob Lemon finished with 207 wins and 1,277 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 Bob Lemon's 3.23.
- Who won more games? Bob Lemon, with 207 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Lemon, with 1,277 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Fried, with 1.14 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Lemon, with 2,850.0 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Lemon, with 31 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Fried, with 26,852 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Lemon's 14,410.
Max Fried
Bob Lemon
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 1940s 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 | Bob Lemon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 128 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 460 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 350 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 188 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 31 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 1,251 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 2,559 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 181 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 2,850.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.23 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.73 | 4.03 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.49 | 3.95 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Fried outpaces Bob Lemon 26,852 to 14,410 — driven by per-season impact — 2,984 PIV per season to 1,108 — rather than by longevity, since Max Fried played 9 seasons to Bob Lemon's 13. 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)
Bob Lemon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Max Fried leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bob Lemon owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Max Fried. PIV agrees: Max Fried 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 Bob Lemon careers compare
Bob Lemon (1941–1958) 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 Bob Lemon's 460. Max Fried's edges on the table are ERA (3.01 to 3.23), WHIP (1.14 to 1.34), and strikeouts per nine (8.73 to 4.03). By rate, Max Fried struck out 8.73 and walked 2.49 per nine innings; Bob Lemon struck out 4.03 and walked 3.95. Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games), and Bob Lemon was mainly a starter (350 starts in 460 games). Because Max Fried is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Max Fried vs Bob Lemon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Bob Lemon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Lemon leads Max Fried in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Fried, with 3.01 to Bob Lemon's 3.23.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Lemon, with 207 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Lemon, with 1,277 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Fried, with 1.14 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.