Max Fried vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser 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; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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 Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 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 Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Fried, with 1.14 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993.0 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Max Fried
Hal Newhouser
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 1930s 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 | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 150 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 488 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 374 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 33 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 2,993.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.73 | 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.49 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Max Fried 43,492 to 26,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to Max Fried's 9, while Max Fried carries the higher per-season figure (2,984 to 2,558). 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)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser 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 Hal Newhouser. PIV agrees: Hal Newhouser 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 Hal Newhouser careers compare
Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) 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 Hal Newhouser's 488. Where Max Fried comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.01 to 3.06), WHIP (1.14 to 1.31), and strikeouts per nine (8.73 to 5.40). The per-nine rows read 8.73 strikeouts and 2.49 walks for Max Fried, 5.40 and 3.76 for Hal Newhouser. Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games), and Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games). Because Max Fried is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Max Fried vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal Newhouser leads Max Fried in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Fried, with 3.01 to Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Fried, with 1.14 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.