Zack Greinke vs Greg Maddux: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 as a pitcher; Greg Maddux played 1986–2008 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
Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and Greg Maddux (1986–2008) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Greg Maddux finished with 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Maddux, with 5,008.1 to Zack Greinke's 3,389.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Maddux, with 35 to Zack Greinke's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to Zack Greinke's 58,246.
Zack Greinke
Greg Maddux
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 2000s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Greg Maddux |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 225 | Leads: 355 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 227 |
| Games | 586 | Leads: 744 |
| Games Started | 541 | Leads: 740 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 109 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 35 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,979 | Leads: 3,371 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 999 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 4,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 353 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,389.1 | Leads: 5,008.1 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.16 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.91 | 6.06 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | Leads: 1.80 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Zack Greinke 133,509 to 58,246 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,340 PIV per season to 2,648, across 25 seasons to 22. 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).
Zack Greinke — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Greg Maddux — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Maddux leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Zack Greinke owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Greg Maddux. PIV agrees: Greg Maddux grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Zack Greinke and Greg Maddux careers compare
From 2004 through 2008, Zack Greinke and Greg Maddux were in the majors together. With 586 games against 744 across 22 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Zack Greinke are saves (1 to 0) and strikeouts per nine (7.91 to 6.06). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Greg Maddux struck out 6.06 and walked 1.80. Both had the same role: Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games); Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games). The complete-game row, 17 against 109, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Zack Greinke vs Greg Maddux: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Greg Maddux?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads Zack Greinke in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.