Max Fried vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Wheeler has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Zack Wheeler has played 2013–present 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 Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Zack Wheeler has 127 wins and 2,013 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. 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 Zack Wheeler's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Zack Wheeler, with 127 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Wheeler, with 2,013 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Max Fried's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Wheeler, with 1,890.1 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Max Fried, with 4 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Wheeler, with 39,270 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Max Fried
Zack Wheeler
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Fried and Zack Wheeler are still active — their totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Max Fried | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 127 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 80 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 311 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 311 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 6 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 3 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 1,890.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 8.73 | Leads: 9.58 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.49 | 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheeler outpaces Max Fried 39,270 to 26,852 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,570 PIV per season to 2,984, across 11 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)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Wheeler leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Max Fried owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Wheeler. PIV agrees: Zack Wheeler 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 Zack Wheeler careers compare
Max Fried and Zack Wheeler are both active, and their careers have run side by side since 2017. The two careers are close in length, 220 games for Max Fried and 311 for Zack Wheeler across 9 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Max Fried are complete games (6 to 5), shutouts (4 to 3), and ERA (3.01 to 3.26). The per-nine rows read 8.73 strikeouts and 2.49 walks for Max Fried, 9.58 and 2.56 for Zack Wheeler. Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games), and Zack Wheeler was mainly a starter (311 starts in 311 games). Because Max Fried and Zack Wheeler are still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Max Fried vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Wheeler leads Max Fried in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Fried, with 3.01 to Zack Wheeler's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Wheeler, with 127 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Wheeler, with 2,013 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Max Fried's 1.14.