Phil Niekro vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Niekro has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Phil Niekro played 1964–1987 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
Phil Niekro (1964–1987) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Phil Niekro finished with 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts; Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games? Phil Niekro, with 318 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Phil Niekro's 3,342.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Phil Niekro, with 5,404.1 to Max Scherzer's 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Phil Niekro, with 45 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Phil Niekro's 13,102.
Phil Niekro
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 1960s 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 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Phil Niekro | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 318 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 274 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 864 | 501 |
| Games Started | Leads: 716 | 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 245 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 45 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,342 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 1,809 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 5,044 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 482 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,404.1 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | 3.35 | Leads: 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 5.57 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | 3.01 | Leads: 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Phil Niekro 68,491 to 13,102 — driven by per-season impact — 3,425 PIV per season to 504 — rather than by longevity, since Max Scherzer played 20 seasons to Phil Niekro's 26. 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).
Phil Niekro — 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, Max Scherzer leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Phil Niekro owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Max Scherzer. PIV agrees: Max Scherzer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Phil Niekro and Max Scherzer careers compare
No season is shared: Phil Niekro played 1964–1987, Max Scherzer 2008–present. Phil Niekro has the far longer record, 864 games against 501 across 26 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The per-nine rows read 5.57 strikeouts and 3.01 walks for Phil Niekro, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Both had the same role: Phil Niekro was mainly a starter (716 starts in 864 games); Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). Complete games (245 to 12) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Max Scherzer's 1.09 beats Phil Niekro's 1.27. Because Max Scherzer is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Phil Niekro vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Phil Niekro or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Phil Niekro leads Max Scherzer in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games?
- Phil Niekro, with 318 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Phil Niekro's 3,342.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.