Greg Maddux vs Frank Viola: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Frank Viola played 1982–1996 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 Frank Viola (1982–1996) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Greg Maddux finished with 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts; Frank Viola finished with 176 wins and 1,844 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 Frank Viola's 3.73.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Frank Viola's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Frank Viola's 1,844.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Frank Viola's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Maddux, with 5,008.1 to Frank Viola's 2,836.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Maddux, with 35 to Frank Viola's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to Frank Viola's 8,226.
Greg Maddux
Frank Viola
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Greg Maddux | Frank Viola |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 355 | 176 |
| Losses not scored | 227 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 744 | 421 |
| Games Started | Leads: 740 | 420 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 109 | 74 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 16 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,371 | 1,844 |
| Walks not scored | 999 | 864 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,726 | 2,827 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 353 | 294 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,008.1 | 2,836.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.16 | 3.73 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.30 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.06 | 5.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.80 | 2.74 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Frank Viola 133,509 to 8,226 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,340 PIV per season to 514, across 25 seasons to 16. 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)
Frank Viola — 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 Frank Viola owns no headline categories. 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 Frank Viola careers compare
Greg Maddux and Frank Viola were active at the same time between 1986 and 1996. The table compares 744 games of Greg Maddux with 421 of Frank Viola across 25 and 16 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Every scored category on the table goes to Greg Maddux. The per-nine rows read 6.06 strikeouts and 1.80 walks for Greg Maddux, 5.85 and 2.74 for Frank Viola. Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games), and Frank Viola was mainly a starter (420 starts in 421 games). In WHIP, Greg Maddux's 1.14 beats Frank Viola's 1.30.
Greg Maddux vs Frank Viola: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Greg Maddux or Frank Viola?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads Frank Viola in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Frank Viola's 3.73.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Frank Viola's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Frank Viola's 1,844.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Frank Viola's 1.30.