Greg Maddux vs Bret Saberhagen: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Greg Maddux played 1986–2008 as a pitcher; Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001 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 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.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Maddux, with 5,008 to Bret Saberhagen's 2,562.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Maddux, with 35 to Bret Saberhagen's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to Bret Saberhagen's 53,065.
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. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Greg Maddux | Bret Saberhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 355 | 167 |
| Losses | 227 | 117 |
| Games | Leads: 744 | 399 |
| Games Started | Leads: 740 | 371 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 109 | 76 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,371 | 1,715 |
| Walks | 999 | 471 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,726 | 2,452 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 353 | 218 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,008 | 2,562 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.16 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.06 | 6.02 |
| BB/9 | 1.80 | Leads: 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.
Related Matchups
Greg Maddux vs Bret Saberhagen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Greg Maddux or Bret Saberhagen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads Bret Saberhagen in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.14.