Max Scherzer vs Fernando Valenzuela: 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; Fernando Valenzuela played 1980–1997 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 Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Fernando Valenzuela finished with 173 wins and 2,074 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 225 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Max Scherzer, with 3,047.2 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,930.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Fernando Valenzuela, with 31 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Fernando Valenzuela's 30,102.
Max Scherzer
Fernando Valenzuela
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Scherzer is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Max Scherzer | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 173 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 153 |
| Games | Leads: 501 | 453 |
| Games Started | Leads: 492 | 424 |
| Complete Games | 12 | Leads: 113 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 31 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,557 | 2,074 |
| Walks not scored | 814 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,511 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 369 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,047.2 | 2,930.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.29 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.50 | 6.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.40 | 3.54 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Fernando Valenzuela 68,491 to 30,102 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,425 PIV per season to 1,672, across 20 seasons to 18. 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)
Fernando Valenzuela — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Max Scherzer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Fernando Valenzuela owns no headline categories. 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 Fernando Valenzuela careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Fernando Valenzuela's ended in 1997, and Max Scherzer debuted in 2008. With 501 games against 453 across 20 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Fernando Valenzuela's edges on the table are complete games (113 to 12), shutouts (31 to 5), and saves (2 to 0). The per-nine rows read 10.50 strikeouts and 2.40 walks for Max Scherzer, 6.37 and 3.54 for Fernando Valenzuela. Both had the same role: Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games); Fernando Valenzuela was mainly a starter (424 starts in 453 games). Complete games (12 to 113) show how differently the two eras used starters. Because Max Scherzer is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Max Scherzer vs Fernando Valenzuela: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Scherzer or Fernando Valenzuela?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads Fernando Valenzuela in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 225 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.