Max Scherzer vs Tarik Skubal: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Tarik Skubal has played 2020–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 Tarik Skubal (2020–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; Tarik Skubal has 66 wins and 1,075 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 225 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.
- Who pitched more innings? Max Scherzer, with 3,047.2 to Tarik Skubal's 925.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Max Scherzer, with 5 to Tarik Skubal's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Tarik Skubal's 20,288.
Max Scherzer
Tarik Skubal
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 Tarik Skubal are still active — their totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Max Scherzer | Tarik Skubal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 66 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 44 |
| Games | Leads: 501 | 163 |
| Games Started | Leads: 492 | 160 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 12 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 1 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,557 | 1,075 |
| Walks not scored | 814 | 199 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,511 | 740 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 369 | 104 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,047.2 | 925.1 |
| ERA | 3.29 | Leads: 3.02 |
| WHIP | 1.09 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.50 | 10.46 |
| BB/9 | 2.40 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Tarik Skubal 68,491 to 20,288 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,425 PIV per season to 3,381, across 20 seasons to 6. 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)
Tarik Skubal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Max Scherzer leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Tarik Skubal owns ERA and WHIP. 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 Tarik Skubal careers compare
The two careers overlap from 2020 on, with both players still active. The table compares 501 games of Max Scherzer with 163 of Tarik Skubal across 20 and 6 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Tarik Skubal comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.02 to 3.29), WHIP (1.01 to 1.09), and walks per nine (1.94 to 2.40). By rate, Max Scherzer struck out 10.50 and walked 2.40 per nine innings; Tarik Skubal struck out 10.46 and walked 1.94. Both had the same role: Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games); Tarik Skubal was mainly a starter (160 starts in 163 games). Because Max Scherzer and Tarik Skubal are still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Max Scherzer vs Tarik Skubal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Scherzer or Tarik Skubal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads Tarik Skubal in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 225 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.