Max Fried vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Adam Wainwright has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Adam Wainwright played 2005–2023 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 Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Adam Wainwright finished with 200 wins and 2,202 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 Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Fried, with 1.14 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Adam Wainwright, with 2,668.1 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Adam Wainwright, with 44,617 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Max Fried
Adam Wainwright
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 2000s 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 | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 128 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 411 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 2,202 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 2,668.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.73 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.49 | Leads: 2.48 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Adam Wainwright outpaces Max Fried 44,617 to 26,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Adam Wainwright played 18 seasons to Max Fried's 9, while Max Fried carries the higher per-season figure (2,984 to 2,479). 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Adam Wainwright 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 Adam Wainwright. PIV agrees: Adam Wainwright 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 Adam Wainwright careers compare
Max Fried and Adam Wainwright were active at the same time between 2017 and 2023. Adam Wainwright has the far longer record, 478 games against 220 across 9 and 18 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Max Fried comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.01 to 3.53), WHIP (1.14 to 1.24), and strikeouts per nine (8.73 to 7.43). By rate, Max Fried struck out 8.73 and walked 2.49 per nine innings; Adam Wainwright struck out 7.43 and walked 2.48. Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games), and Adam Wainwright was mainly a starter (411 starts in 478 games). In WHIP, Max Fried's 1.14 beats Adam Wainwright's 1.24. Because Max Fried is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Max Fried vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Adam Wainwright leads Max Fried in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Fried, with 3.01 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Fried, with 1.14 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.