Lefty Grove vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove 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). Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 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
Lefty Grove (1925–1941) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 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? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Max Scherzer's 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Max Scherzer's 68,491.
Lefty Grove
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 1920s 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 | Lefty Grove | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 616 | 501 |
| Games Started | 457 | Leads: 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,266 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,940.2 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 5.18 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove leads Max Scherzer 81,321 to 68,491 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 3,425 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove 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).
Lefty Grove — 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, Lefty Grove 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 Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lefty Grove and Max Scherzer careers compare
Lefty Grove (1925–1941) was finished before Max Scherzer (2008–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 616 games for Lefty Grove and 501 for Max Scherzer across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 5.18 strikeouts and 2.71 walks for Lefty Grove, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Both had the same role: Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games); Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). The complete-game row, 298 against 12, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Max Scherzer's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Lefty Grove vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Max Scherzer in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.