Greg Maddux vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux (1986–2008) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Greg Maddux compiled 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts; Tom Seaver put up 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Greg Maddux
Tom Seaver
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 | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 355 | 311 |
| Losses | 227 | 205 |
| Games | 744 | 656 |
| Games Started | 740 | 647 |
| Complete Games | 109 | 231 |
| Shutouts | 35 | 61 |
| Saves | 0 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 3,371 | 3,640 |
| Walks | 999 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,726 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 353 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,008 | 4,782 |
| ERA | 3.16 | 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 6.06 | 6.85 |
| BB/9 | 1.80 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Tom Seaver 133,509 to 79,192 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,340 vs 3,600 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)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Greg Maddux owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. Note that PIV actually grades Greg Maddux ahead, which means Tom Seaver's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.