Greg Maddux vs Bret Saberhagen: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux (1986–2008) and Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Greg Maddux compiled 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts; Bret Saberhagen put up 167 wins and 1,715 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Greg Maddux
Bret Saberhagen
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Greg Maddux | Bret Saberhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 355 | 167 |
| Losses | 227 | 117 |
| Games | 744 | 399 |
| Games Started | 740 | 371 |
| Complete Games | 109 | 76 |
| Shutouts | 35 | 16 |
| Saves | 0 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 3,371 | 1,715 |
| Walks | 999 | 471 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,726 | 2,452 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 353 | 218 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,008 | 2,562 |
| ERA | 3.16 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 6.06 | 6.02 |
| BB/9 | 1.80 | 1.65 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Bret Saberhagen 133,509 to 53,065 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,340 vs 3,122 per year). 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).
Greg Maddux — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bret Saberhagen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Maddux leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Bret Saberhagen owns WHIP. 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.