Chris Sale vs Max Scherzer: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale 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). Chris Sale has played 2010–present 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
Chris Sale (2010–present) and Max Scherzer (2008–present) — they debuted in the 2010s and the 2000s respectively and share 7990 seasons. Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through the 2026 season; 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? Chris Sale, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 225 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.
- How many innings did each pitch? Chris Sale 2,246.2, Max Scherzer 3,047.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Max Scherzer, with 5 to Chris Sale's 4.
Chris Sale
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 | Chris Sale | Max Scherzer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 159 | Leads: 225 |
| Losses not scored | 97 | 126 |
| Games not scored | 420 | 501 |
| Games Started not scored | 339 | 492 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 12 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves not scored | 12 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,779 | Leads: 3,557 |
| Walks not scored | 518 | 814 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,821 | 2,511 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 369 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,246.2 | 3,047.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.09 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.13 | 10.50 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.08 | 2.40 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale leads Max Scherzer 73,774 to 66,522 — driven by per-season impact — 4,611 PIV per season to 3,501 — rather than by longevity, since Chris Sale played 16 seasons to Max Scherzer'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).
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Max Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Chris Sale leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Max Scherzer leads 3: wins, shutouts, and strikeouts. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Sale. PIV agrees: Chris Sale grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Chris Sale and Max Scherzer careers compare
The two careers overlap from 2010 on, with both players still active. With 420 games against 501 across 16 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Max Scherzer comes out ahead, it is in wins (225 to 159), shutouts (5 to 4), and strikeouts (3,557 to 2,779). The per-nine rows read 11.13 strikeouts and 2.08 walks for Chris Sale, 10.50 and 2.40 for Max Scherzer. Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games), and Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games). In WHIP, Chris Sale's 1.04 beats Max Scherzer's 1.09. Chris Sale and Max Scherzer's totals run through the 2026 season.
Chris Sale vs Max Scherzer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chris Sale or Max Scherzer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Sale leads Max Scherzer in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 225 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.