Max Scherzer vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer 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). Max Scherzer has played 2008–present as a pitcher; Blake Snell has played 2016–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 Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 225 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Max Scherzer, with 3,047.2 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Max Scherzer, with 5 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Max Scherzer
Blake Snell
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Scherzer and Blake Snell are still active — their totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Max Scherzer | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 501 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 492 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 12 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 1 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,557 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 814 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,511 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 369 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,047.2 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | 3.29 | Leads: 3.10 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 10.50 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.40 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Blake Snell 68,491 to 27,494 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,425 PIV per season to 2,749, across 20 seasons to 10. 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)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Max Scherzer leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Blake Snell owns ERA 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 Blake Snell careers compare
Max Scherzer and Blake Snell are both active, and their careers have run side by side since 2016. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Max Scherzer has appeared in 501 games to Blake Snell's 231. The green cells for Blake Snell are ERA (3.10 to 3.29) and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 10.50). By rate, Max Scherzer struck out 10.50 and walked 2.40 per nine innings; Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03. Both had the same role: Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Because Max Scherzer and Blake Snell are still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Max Scherzer vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Scherzer or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads Blake Snell in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 225 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Blake Snell's 1.22.