Max Scherzer vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Max Scherzer and Ed Walsh are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Max Scherzer has played 2008–present as a pitcher; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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 Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Scherzer has 225 wins and 3,557 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Max Scherzer, with 225 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.
- Who pitched more innings? Max Scherzer, with 3,047.2 to Ed Walsh's 2,964.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ed Walsh, with 57 to Max Scherzer's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Max Scherzer, with 68,491 career Pitcher PIV to Ed Walsh's 62,631.
Max Scherzer
Ed Walsh
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 1900s 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 | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 195 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 501 | 430 |
| Games Started | Leads: 492 | 315 |
| Complete Games | 12 | Leads: 250 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 35 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,557 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 814 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,511 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 369 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,047.2 | 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 3.29 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.09 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.50 | 5.27 |
| BB/9 | 2.40 | Leads: 1.87 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Max Scherzer leads Ed Walsh 68,491 to 62,631 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Max Scherzer played 20 seasons to Ed Walsh's 14, while Ed Walsh carries the higher per-season figure (4,474 to 3,425). 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)
Ed Walsh — 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 Ed Walsh 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 Ed Walsh careers compare
No season is shared: Ed Walsh played 1904–1917, Max Scherzer 2008–present. With 501 games against 430 across 20 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 10.50 strikeouts and 2.40 walks for Max Scherzer, 5.27 and 1.87 for Ed Walsh. Both had the same role: Max Scherzer was mainly a starter (492 starts in 501 games); Ed Walsh was mainly a starter (315 starts in 430 games). Complete games (12 to 250) show how differently the two eras used starters. Ed Walsh allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.00 WHIP to Max Scherzer's 1.09. Max Scherzer's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Max Scherzer vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Max Scherzer's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Max Scherzer, with 225 to Ed Walsh's 195.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Max Scherzer, with 3,557 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Max Scherzer's 1.09.