Greg Maddux vs Cy Young: Career Stats Comparison
Cy Young has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Cy Young played 1890–1911 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 Cy Young (1890–1911) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Greg Maddux finished with 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts; Cy Young finished with 511 wins and 2,803 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cy Young, with 2.63 to Greg Maddux's 3.16.
- Who won more games? Cy Young, with 511 to Greg Maddux's 355.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Cy Young's 2,803.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cy Young, with 1.13 to Greg Maddux's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Cy Young, with 7,356.0 to Greg Maddux's 5,008.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cy Young, with 76 to Greg Maddux's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cy Young, with 141,398 career Pitcher PIV to Greg Maddux's 133,509.
Greg Maddux
Cy Young
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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Greg Maddux | Cy Young |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 355 | Leads: 511 |
| Losses not scored | 227 | 315 |
| Games | 744 | Leads: 906 |
| Games Started | 740 | Leads: 815 |
| Complete Games | 109 | Leads: 749 |
| Shutouts | 35 | Leads: 76 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 18 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,371 | 2,803 |
| Walks not scored | 999 | 1,217 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,726 | 7,092 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 353 | 138 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,008.1 | Leads: 7,356.0 |
| ERA | 3.16 | Leads: 2.63 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.06 | 3.43 |
| BB/9 | 1.80 | Leads: 1.49 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cy Young edges Greg Maddux 141,398 to 133,509 — driven by per-season impact — 6,148 PIV per season to 5,340 — rather than by longevity, since Cy Young played 23 seasons to Greg Maddux's 25. 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)
Cy Young — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cy Young leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Greg Maddux owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cy Young. PIV agrees: Cy Young 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 Cy Young careers compare
No season is shared: Cy Young played 1890–1911, Greg Maddux 1986–2008. With 744 games against 906 across 25 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Greg Maddux's edges on the table are strikeouts (3,371 to 2,803) and strikeouts per nine (6.06 to 3.43). By rate, Greg Maddux struck out 6.06 and walked 1.80 per nine innings; Cy Young struck out 3.43 and walked 1.49. Both had the same role: Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games); Cy Young was mainly a starter (815 starts in 906 games). Complete games (109 to 749) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Greg Maddux vs Cy Young: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Greg Maddux or Cy Young?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cy Young leads Greg Maddux in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cy Young, with 2.63 to Greg Maddux's 3.16.
- Who won more games?
- Cy Young, with 511 to Greg Maddux's 355.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Cy Young's 2,803.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cy Young, with 1.13 to Greg Maddux's 1.14.