Zack Greinke vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Zack Greinke has played 2004–present 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
Zack Greinke (2004–present) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Zack Greinke compiled 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Max Scherzer put up 221 wins and 3,489 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Max Scherzer, with 3.22 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Max Scherzer's 221.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,489 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.08 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389 to Max Scherzer's 2,963.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Zack Greinke's 58,246.
Zack Greinke
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 221 |
| Losses | 156 | 117 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 483 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 474 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 12 |
| Shutouts | 5 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,979 | Leads: 3,489 |
| Walks | 762 | 779 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,207 | 2,433 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 367 | 354 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389 | 2,963 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.22 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.08 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 10.60 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.37 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer leads Zack Greinke 68,491 to 58,246 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,425 vs 2,648 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Max Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Max Scherzer leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Zack Greinke owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Max Scherzer. PIV agrees: Max Scherzer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Zack Greinke vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Max Scherzer in 7 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.22 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Max Scherzer's 221.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,489 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.08 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.