Greg Maddux vs Jake Peavy: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Greg Maddux played 1986–2008 as a pitcher; Jake Peavy played 2002–2016 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
Greg Maddux (1986–2008) and Jake Peavy (2002–2016) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Greg Maddux finished with 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts; Jake Peavy finished with 152 wins and 2,207 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Jake Peavy's 3.63.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Jake Peavy's 2,207.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Jake Peavy's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Maddux, with 5,008.1 to Jake Peavy's 2,377.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Maddux, with 35 to Jake Peavy's 6.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to Jake Peavy's 34,745.
Greg Maddux
Jake Peavy
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 1980s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Greg Maddux | Jake Peavy |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 355 | 152 |
| Losses not scored | 227 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 744 | 388 |
| Games Started | Leads: 740 | 377 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 109 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 6 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,371 | 2,207 |
| Walks not scored | 999 | 708 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,726 | 2,134 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 353 | 259 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,008.1 | 2,377.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.16 | 3.63 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 6.06 | Leads: 8.36 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.80 | 2.68 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Jake Peavy 133,509 to 34,745 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,340 PIV per season to 1,930, across 25 seasons to 18. 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).
Greg Maddux — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jake Peavy — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Maddux leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jake Peavy owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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 Greg Maddux and Jake Peavy careers compare
From 2002 through 2008, Greg Maddux and Jake Peavy were in the majors together. Greg Maddux has the far longer record, 744 games against 388 across 25 and 18 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Jake Peavy's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (8.36 to 6.06). By rate, Greg Maddux struck out 6.06 and walked 1.80 per nine innings; Jake Peavy struck out 8.36 and walked 2.68. Both had the same role: Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games); Jake Peavy was mainly a starter (377 starts in 388 games). The complete-game row, 109 against 15, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Greg Maddux vs Jake Peavy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Greg Maddux or Jake Peavy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads Jake Peavy in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Jake Peavy's 3.63.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Jake Peavy's 2,207.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Jake Peavy's 1.20.