Cliff Lee vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 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
Cliff Lee (2002–2014) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 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? Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 225 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Max Scherzer, with 3,047.2 to Cliff Lee's 2,156.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Cliff Lee's 41,719.
Cliff Lee
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Scherzer is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Cliff Lee | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 225 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 126 |
| Games | 328 | Leads: 501 |
| Games Started | 324 | Leads: 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 29 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 5 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,824 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 464 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,116 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,156.2 | Leads: 3,047.2 |
| ERA | 3.52 | Leads: 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 7.61 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Cliff Lee 68,491 to 41,719 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,425 PIV per season to 2,781, across 20 seasons to 15. 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).
Cliff Lee — 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 wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Cliff Lee owns no headline categories. 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
How the Cliff Lee and Max Scherzer careers compare
From 2008 through 2014, Cliff Lee and Max Scherzer were in the majors together. Max Scherzer has the far longer record, 501 games against 328 across 15 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Cliff Lee are complete games (29 to 12), shutouts (12 to 5), and walks per nine (1.94 to 2.40). By rate, Cliff Lee struck out 7.61 and walked 1.94 per nine innings; Max Scherzer struck out 10.50 and walked 2.40. Both had the same role: Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games); Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). Max Scherzer's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Cliff Lee vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cliff Lee or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads Cliff Lee in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 225 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.