Max Fried vs Satchel Paige: Career Stats Comparison
Satchel Paige 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; Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 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 Satchel Paige (1948–1965) — 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; Satchel Paige finished with 143 wins and 1,695 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Max Fried's 3.01.
- Who won more games? Satchel Paige, with 143 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Max Fried's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Satchel Paige, with 1,962.2 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Satchel Paige, with 28 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Max Fried
Satchel Paige
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 | Satchel Paige |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 143 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 89 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 438 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 226 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 116 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 28 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 47 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 533 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 1,647 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 1,962.2 |
| ERA | 3.01 | Leads: 2.77 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.73 | 7.77 |
| BB/9 | 2.49 | Leads: 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige outpaces Max Fried 77,694 to 26,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Satchel Paige played 28 seasons to Max Fried's 9, while Max Fried carries the higher per-season figure (2,984 to 2,775). 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)
Satchel Paige — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Satchel Paige leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Max Fried owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Satchel Paige. PIV agrees: Satchel Paige 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 Satchel Paige careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Satchel Paige's ended in 1965, 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 Satchel Paige's 438. Max Fried's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (8.73 to 7.77). The per-nine rows read 8.73 strikeouts and 2.49 walks for Max Fried, 7.77 and 2.44 for Satchel Paige. Their roles differ: Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games); Satchel Paige split time between starting and relief (226 starts in 438 games). Complete games (6 to 116) show how differently the two eras used starters. Max Fried's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Max Fried vs Satchel Paige: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Satchel Paige?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Satchel Paige leads Max Fried in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Max Fried's 3.01.
- Who won more games?
- Satchel Paige, with 143 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Max Fried's 1.14.