Christy Mathewson vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson 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). Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 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
Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 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? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Christy Mathewson's 2,507.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.
- Who pitched more innings? Christy Mathewson, with 4,788.2 to Max Scherzer's 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Max Scherzer's 68,491.
Christy Mathewson
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 1900s 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 | Christy Mathewson | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 188 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 636 | 501 |
| Games Started | Leads: 552 | 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 435 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 79 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,507 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 848 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,219 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 90 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,788.2 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.13 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.09 |
| K/9 | 4.71 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.59 | 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson leads Max Scherzer 82,446 to 68,491 — driven by per-season impact — 4,580 PIV per season to 3,425 — rather than by longevity, since Christy Mathewson played 18 seasons to Max Scherzer's 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).
Christy Mathewson — 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, Christy Mathewson leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Max Scherzer owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Christy Mathewson. PIV agrees: Christy Mathewson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Christy Mathewson and Max Scherzer careers compare
No season is shared: Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916, Max Scherzer 2008–present. The two careers are close in length, 636 games for Christy Mathewson and 501 for Max Scherzer across 18 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Max Scherzer are strikeouts (3,557 to 2,507) and strikeouts per nine (10.50 to 4.71). By rate, Christy Mathewson struck out 4.71 and walked 1.59 per nine innings; Max Scherzer struck out 10.50 and walked 2.40. Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games), and Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). Because Max Scherzer is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Christy Mathewson vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Christy Mathewson or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Max Scherzer in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Christy Mathewson's 2,507.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.