Max Scherzer vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Max Scherzer has played 2008–present as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright 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 Adam Wainwright (2005–present) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Max Scherzer compiled 221 wins and 3,489 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright put up 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Max Scherzer, with 3.22 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 221 to Adam Wainwright's 200.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,489 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Scherzer, with 1.08 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Max Scherzer, with 2,963 to Adam Wainwright's 2,668.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Adam Wainwright's 44,617.
Max Scherzer
Adam Wainwright
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Max Scherzer | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 221 | 200 |
| Losses | 117 | 128 |
| Games | Leads: 483 | 478 |
| Games Started | Leads: 474 | 411 |
| Complete Games | 12 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,489 | 2,202 |
| Walks | 779 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,433 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 354 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,963 | 2,668 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.08 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.60 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.37 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer outpaces Adam Wainwright 68,491 to 44,617 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,425 vs 2,479 per year). 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)
Adam Wainwright — 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 Adam Wainwright 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
Max Scherzer vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Scherzer or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Max Scherzer leads Adam Wainwright in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Scherzer, with 3.22 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 221 to Adam Wainwright's 200.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,489 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Scherzer, with 1.08 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.