Bob Gibson vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson 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). Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 as a pitcher; Max Scherzer has played 2008–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
Bob Gibson (1959–1975) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Bob Gibson, with 251 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Bob Gibson's 3,117.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Gibson, with 3,884.1 to Max Scherzer's 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Max Scherzer's 68,491.
Bob Gibson
Max Scherzer
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 1950s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Scherzer is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 528 | 501 |
| Games Started | 482 | Leads: 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,117 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,884.1 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 7.22 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson edges Max Scherzer 69,720 to 68,491 — driven by per-season impact — 4,101 PIV per season to 3,425 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Gibson played 17 seasons to Max Scherzer's 20. 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).
Bob Gibson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Max Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Gibson leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Max Scherzer owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Gibson. PIV agrees: Bob Gibson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Gibson and Max Scherzer careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bob Gibson's ended in 1975, and Max Scherzer debuted in 2008. With 528 games against 501 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 7.22 strikeouts and 3.10 walks for Bob Gibson, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Both had the same role: Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games); Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). The complete-game row, 255 against 12, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Max Scherzer's 1.09 beats Bob Gibson's 1.19. Because Max Scherzer is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Bob Gibson vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Max Scherzer in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Gibson, with 251 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Bob Gibson's 3,117.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.