Gaylord Perry vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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
Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 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? Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Gaylord Perry's 3,534.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Gaylord Perry's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Max Scherzer's 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Max Scherzer's 68,491.
Gaylord Perry
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 | Gaylord Perry | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 314 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 265 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 777 | 501 |
| Games Started | Leads: 690 | 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 303 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 11 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,534 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 1,379 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,938 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 399 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,350.1 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.11 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 5.94 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.32 | 2.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry leads Max Scherzer 78,312 to 68,491 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gaylord Perry played 25 seasons to Max Scherzer's 20, while Max Scherzer carries the higher per-season figure (3,425 to 3,132). 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).
Gaylord Perry — 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, Gaylord Perry leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Max Scherzer owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gaylord Perry and Max Scherzer careers compare
Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) was finished before Max Scherzer (2008–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Gaylord Perry has the far longer record, 777 games against 501 across 25 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Max Scherzer's edges on the table are strikeouts (3,557 to 3,534), WHIP (1.09 to 1.18), and strikeouts per nine (10.50 to 5.94). The per-nine rows read 5.94 strikeouts and 2.32 walks for Gaylord Perry, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Both had the same role: Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games); Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). Max Scherzer's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Gaylord Perry vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gaylord Perry or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Max Scherzer in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Gaylord Perry's 3,534.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Gaylord Perry's 1.18.