Greg Maddux vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux 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). Greg Maddux played 1986–2008 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
Greg Maddux (1986–2008) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — 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; Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through October 6, 2026. 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 Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Greg Maddux's 3,371.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Greg Maddux's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Maddux, with 5,008.1 to Max Scherzer's 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Maddux, with 35 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to Max Scherzer's 68,491.
Greg Maddux
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, 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.
Max Scherzer is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Greg Maddux | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 355 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 227 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 744 | 501 |
| Games Started | Leads: 740 | 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 109 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 5 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,371 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 999 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,726 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 353 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,008.1 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.16 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 6.06 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.80 | 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Max Scherzer 133,509 to 68,491 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,340 PIV per season to 3,425, across 25 seasons to 20. 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)
Max Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Maddux leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Max Scherzer owns strikeouts, WHIP, and 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 Max Scherzer careers compare
Greg Maddux and Max Scherzer were active at the same time between 2008 and 2008. With 744 games against 501 across 25 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Max Scherzer's edges on the table are strikeouts (3,557 to 3,371), WHIP (1.09 to 1.14), and strikeouts per nine (10.50 to 6.06). The per-nine rows read 6.06 strikeouts and 1.80 walks for Greg Maddux, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Both had the same role: Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games); Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). Complete games (109 to 12) show how differently the two eras used starters. Max Scherzer's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Greg Maddux vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Greg Maddux or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads Max Scherzer in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Greg Maddux's 3,371.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Greg Maddux's 1.14.