Max Scherzer vs Paul Skenes: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer 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). Max Scherzer has played 2008–present as a pitcher; Paul Skenes has played 2024–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
Max Scherzer (2008–present) and Paul Skenes (2024–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 225 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.
- Who pitched more innings? Max Scherzer, with 3,047.2 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Max Scherzer, with 5 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
Max Scherzer
Paul Skenes
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 2000s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Scherzer and Paul Skenes are still active — their totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Max Scherzer | Paul Skenes |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 31 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 24 |
| Games | Leads: 501 | 87 |
| Games Started | Leads: 492 | 87 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 12 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 0 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,557 | 586 |
| Walks not scored | 814 | 123 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,511 | 376 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 369 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,047.2 | 495.0 |
| ERA | 3.29 | Leads: 2.62 |
| WHIP | 1.09 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 10.50 | Leads: 10.65 |
| BB/9 | 2.40 | Leads: 2.24 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Paul Skenes 68,491 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Max Scherzer played 20 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 3,425). 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).
Max Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Paul Skenes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Max Scherzer leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Paul Skenes owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. 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 Max Scherzer and Paul Skenes careers compare
Max Scherzer and Paul Skenes are both active, and their careers have run side by side since 2024. Max Scherzer has the far longer record, 501 games against 87 across 20 and 2 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Paul Skenes comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.62 to 3.29), WHIP (1.01 to 1.09), and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 10.50). The per-nine rows read 10.50 strikeouts and 2.40 walks for Max Scherzer, 10.65 and 2.24 for Paul Skenes. Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games), and Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games). Because Max Scherzer and Paul Skenes are still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Max Scherzer vs Paul Skenes: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Scherzer or Paul Skenes?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads Paul Skenes in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 225 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.