CC Sabathia vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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
CC Sabathia (2001–2019) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — both debuted in the 2000s. CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts; Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Max Scherzer, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to CC Sabathia's 3,093.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- How many innings did each pitch? CC Sabathia 3,577.1, Max Scherzer 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Max Scherzer's 5.
CC Sabathia
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | CC Sabathia | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 161 | 126 |
| Games not scored | 561 | 501 |
| Games Started not scored | 560 | 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 38 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 5 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,093 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 1,099 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,404 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 382 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,577.1 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 7.78 | Leads: 10.50 |
| BB/9 | 2.76 | Leads: 2.40 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces CC Sabathia 66,522 to 43,212 — driven by per-season impact — 3,501 PIV per season to 2,274 — rather than by longevity, since Max Scherzer played 19 seasons to CC Sabathia's 19. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Max Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Max Scherzer leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. CC Sabathia leads 3: wins, complete games, and shutouts. 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 CC Sabathia and Max Scherzer careers compare
From 2008 through 2019, CC Sabathia and Max Scherzer were in the majors together. With 561 games against 501 across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for CC Sabathia are wins (251 to 225), complete games (38 to 12), and shutouts (12 to 5). The per-nine rows read 7.78 strikeouts and 2.76 walks for CC Sabathia, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games), and Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). In WHIP, Max Scherzer's 1.09 beats CC Sabathia's 1.26. Max Scherzer's totals run through the 2026 season.
CC Sabathia vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, CC Sabathia or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads CC Sabathia in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to CC Sabathia's 3,093.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.