Randy Johnson vs Greg Maddux: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 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
Randy Johnson (1988–2009) and Greg Maddux (1986–2008) — both debuted in the 1980s. Randy Johnson finished with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts; Greg Maddux finished with 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Greg Maddux, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Greg Maddux's 3,371.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Randy Johnson's 1.17.
- How many innings did each pitch? Randy Johnson 4,135.1, Greg Maddux 5,008.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Randy Johnson, with 37 to Greg Maddux's 35.
Randy Johnson
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. 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 | Randy Johnson | Greg Maddux |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 303 | Leads: 355 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 227 |
| Games not scored | 618 | 744 |
| Games Started not scored | 603 | 740 |
| Complete Games | 100 | Leads: 109 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 37 | 35 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,875 | 3,371 |
| Walks not scored | 1,497 | 999 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,346 | 4,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 411 | 353 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,135.1 | 5,008.1 |
| ERA | 3.29 | Leads: 3.16 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.61 | 6.06 |
| BB/9 | 3.26 | Leads: 1.80 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux leads Randy Johnson 133,509 to 122,530 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,805 PIV per season to 5,570, across 23 seasons to 22. 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).
Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Greg Maddux — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Greg Maddux leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, ERA, WHIP, and others. Randy Johnson leads 3: shutouts, strikeouts, and strikeouts per nine. 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 Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux careers compare
Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux were active at the same time between 1988 and 2008. With 618 games against 744 across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Randy Johnson comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (37 to 35), strikeouts (4,875 to 3,371), and strikeouts per nine (10.61 to 6.06). The per-nine rows read 10.61 strikeouts and 3.26 walks for Randy Johnson, 6.06 and 1.80 for Greg Maddux. Both had the same role: Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games); Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games). In WHIP, Greg Maddux's 1.14 beats Randy Johnson's 1.17.
Randy Johnson vs Greg Maddux: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Randy Johnson or Greg Maddux?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads Randy Johnson in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Greg Maddux's 3,371.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Randy Johnson's 1.17.