Max Scherzer vs Justin Verlander: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Max Scherzer has played 2008–present as a pitcher; Justin Verlander has played 2005–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 Justin Verlander (2005–present) — both debuted in the 2000s. Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Justin Verlander has 266 wins and 3,560 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Justin Verlander's 3.33.
- Who won more games? Justin Verlander, with 266 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to Max Scherzer's 3,557.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Justin Verlander's 1.14.
- How many innings did each pitch? Max Scherzer 3,047.2, Justin Verlander 3,576.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Justin Verlander, with 9 to Max Scherzer's 5.
Max Scherzer
Justin Verlander
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 | Max Scherzer | Justin Verlander |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 225 | Leads: 266 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 159 |
| Games not scored | 501 | 557 |
| Games Started not scored | 492 | 557 |
| Complete Games | 12 | Leads: 26 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 9 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,557 | Leads: 3,560 |
| Walks not scored | 814 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,511 | 3,057 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 369 | 374 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,047.2 | 3,576.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.29 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.50 | 8.96 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.40 | 2.53 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Justin Verlander edges Max Scherzer 68,171 to 66,522 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Justin Verlander played 21 seasons to Max Scherzer's 19, while Max Scherzer carries the higher per-season figure (3,501 to 3,246). 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).
Max Scherzer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Justin Verlander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Justin Verlander higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander careers compare
Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are both active, and their careers have run side by side since 2008. With 501 games against 557 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Justin Verlander's edges on the table are wins (266 to 225), complete games (26 to 12), and shutouts (9 to 5). The per-nine rows read 10.50 strikeouts and 2.40 walks for Max Scherzer, 8.96 and 2.53 for Justin Verlander. Both had the same role: Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games); Justin Verlander was mainly a starter (557 starts in 557 games). In WHIP, Max Scherzer's 1.09 beats Justin Verlander's 1.14. Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander's totals run through the 2026 season.
Max Scherzer vs Justin Verlander: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.29 to Justin Verlander's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- Justin Verlander, with 266 to Max Scherzer's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to Max Scherzer's 3,557.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.09 to Justin Verlander's 1.14.