Zack Greinke vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer has the better career line of the two, leading 4 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 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 (2004–2023) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — both debuted in the 2000s. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Max Scherzer, in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Neither — both are at 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- How many innings did each pitch? Zack Greinke 3,389.1, Max Scherzer 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 5.
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 225 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 126 |
| Games not scored | 586 | 501 |
| Games Started not scored | 541 | 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 12 |
| Shutouts | 5 | 5 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,979 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,389.1 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.40 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer leads Zack Greinke 66,522 to 58,246 — driven by per-season impact — 3,501 PIV per season to 2,912 — rather than by longevity, since Max Scherzer played 19 seasons to Zack Greinke's 20. 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
Max Scherzer leads 4 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. Zack Greinke leads 2: complete games and walks per nine. 2 are tied. 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
How the Zack Greinke and Max Scherzer careers compare
The careers of Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) overlapped from 2008 to 2023, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 586 games against 501 across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Zack Greinke are complete games (17 to 12) and walks per nine (2.02 to 2.40). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Max Scherzer struck out 10.50 and walked 2.40. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). Max Scherzer's totals run through the 2026 season.
Zack Greinke vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads Zack Greinke in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Neither — both are at 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.