Max Scherzer
Born: 7/27/1984 in St. Louis, MO, USA
MLB Debut: 2008-04-29
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 208 lbs
Full name: Maxwell Martin Scherzer
Biography
Max Scherzer, born in 1984, is a dominant pitcher who continues to impact Major League Baseball with his exceptional skills and competitive spirit. Making his debut in 2008, Scherzer quickly establishes himself as one of the premier strikeout artists of his generation. His career record stands at 216-112, complemented by an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 3.16. With 3,407 strikeouts to his name, he ranks among the all-time greats in this category, showcasing his ability to overpower hitters with a combination of velocity and a diverse pitch arsenal.
Scherzer's career is highlighted by multiple accolades, including three Cy Young Awards and eight All-Star selections, reflecting his sustained excellence and recognition by peers and analysts alike. Known for his fierce competitiveness and distinctive style, including his trademark intensity on the mound, he continues to be a key player in the league, inspiring a new generation of pitchers. As an active player, Scherzer remains a significant figure in baseball, contributing to his teams and the sport overall during a time of evolving strategies and player development.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 216 | 112 | 466 | 457 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 2878.0 | 2346 | 1010 | 335 | 756 | 3407 | 3.16 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | AZ | NL | 0 | 4 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56.0 | 48 | 19 | 21 | 66 | 3.05 | - |
| 2009 | AZ | NL | 9 | 11 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 170.3 | 166 | 78 | 63 | 174 | 4.12 | - |
| 2010 | DET | AL | 12 | 11 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 195.7 | 174 | 76 | 70 | 184 | 3.50 | 1893.7 |
| 2011 | DET | AL | 15 | 9 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 195.0 | 207 | 96 | 56 | 174 | 4.43 | -1018.8 |
| 2012 | DET | AL | 16 | 7 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 187.7 | 179 | 78 | 60 | 231 | 3.74 | 3651.7 |
| 2013 | DET | AL | 21 | 3 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 214.3 | 152 | 69 | 56 | 240 | 2.90 | 6297.1 |
| 2014 | DET | AL | 18 | 5 | 33 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 220.3 | 196 | 77 | 63 | 252 | 3.15 | 5149.5 |
| 2015 | WAS | NL | 14 | 12 | 33 | 33 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 228.7 | 176 | 71 | 34 | 276 | 2.79 | 7154.3 |
| 2016 | WAS | NL | 20 | 7 | 34 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 228.3 | 165 | 75 | 56 | 284 | 2.96 | 5685.9 |
| 2017 | WAS | NL | 16 | 6 | 31 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 200.7 | 126 | 56 | 55 | 268 | 2.51 | 7624.1 |
| 2018 | WAS | NL | 18 | 7 | 33 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 220.7 | 150 | 62 | 51 | 300 | 2.53 | 8626.4 |
| 2019 | WAS | NL | 11 | 7 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 172.3 | 144 | 56 | 33 | 243 | 2.92 | 9176.1 |
| 2020 | WAS | NL | 5 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 67.3 | 70 | 28 | 23 | 92 | 3.74 | 1697.3 |
| 2021 | LAD | NL | 7 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 68.3 | 48 | 15 | 8 | 89 | 1.98 | - |
| 2021 | WAS | NL | 8 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 111.0 | 71 | 34 | 28 | 147 | 2.76 | 1882.1 |
| 2022 | NYN | NL | 11 | 5 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 145.3 | 108 | 37 | 24 | 173 | 2.29 | 5056.6 |
| 2023 | NYN | NL | 9 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 107.7 | 98 | 48 | 30 | 121 | 4.01 | -1024.2 |
| 2023 | TEX | AL | 4 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.0 | 28 | 16 | 15 | 53 | 3.20 | 1045.8 |
| 2024 | TEX | AL | 2 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43.3 | 40 | 19 | 10 | 40 | 3.95 | -113.4 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 473 | 464 | 31 | 78 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 3 | 13 | 161 | 0.168 | 0.194 | 0.188 | 0.381 | -2451.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | AZ | NL | 17 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2009 | AZ | NL | 31 | 53 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 0.226 | -264.3 |
| 2010 | DET | AL | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2011 | DET | AL | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2012 | DET | AL | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2013 | DET | AL | 32 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 2014 | DET | AL | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2015 | WAS | NL | 34 | 69 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 0.217 | -412.9 |
| 2016 | WAS | NL | 34 | 70 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 0.186 | -531.9 |
| 2017 | WAS | NL | 31 | 62 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 0.161 | -465.6 |
| 2018 | WAS | NL | 35 | 70 | 8 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 0.243 | -286.8 |
| 2019 | WAS | NL | 29 | 55 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 0.182 | -490.3 |
| 2020 | WAS | NL | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2021 | LAD | NL | 11 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2021 | WAS | NL | 19 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2022 | NYN | NL | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2023 | NYN | NL | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2023 | TEX | AL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2024 | TEX | AL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ALCS | TEX | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2023 | WS | TEX | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2022 | NLWC1 | NYN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2021 | NLCS | LAN | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 2021 | NLDS2 | LAN | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| 2021 | NLWC | LAN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2019 | NLWC | WAS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 2019 | WS | WAS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2019 | NLDS1 | WAS | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| 2019 | NLCS | WAS | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| 2017 | NLDS2 | WAS | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 |
| 2016 | NLDS2 | WAS | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 |
| 2014 | ALDS2 | DET | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2013 | ALCS | DET | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2013 | ALDS2 | DET | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2012 | ALCS | DET | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2012 | ALDS2 | DET | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2012 | WS | DET | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2011 | ALDS1 | DET | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2011 | ALCS | DET | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7 | 29 | 24 | 1 | 139.0 | 104 | 55 | 55 | 167 | 3.56 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ALCS | TEX | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6.75 |
| 2023 | WS | TEX | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 |
| 2022 | NLWC1 | NYN | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 13.50 |
| 2021 | NLCS | LAN | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4.15 |
| 2021 | NLDS2 | LAN | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1.12 |
| 2021 | NLWC | LAN | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2.08 |
| 2019 | NLCS | WAS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0.00 |
| 2019 | NLDS1 | WAS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8.0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 1.12 |
| 2019 | NLWC | WAS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5.40 |
| 2019 | WS | WAS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10.0 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 3.60 |
| 2017 | NLDS2 | WAS | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7.3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 3.68 |
| 2016 | NLDS2 | WAS | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 12.0 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 3.75 |
| 2014 | ALDS2 | DET | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.3 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 6.14 |
| 2013 | ALCS | DET | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13.3 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 2.70 |
| 2013 | ALDS2 | DET | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 3.00 |
| 2012 | ALCS | DET | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 1.59 |
| 2012 | ALDS2 | DET | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0.00 |
| 2012 | WS | DET | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6.3 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 4.26 |
| 2011 | ALCS | DET | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8.3 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 9.72 |
| 2011 | ALDS1 | DET | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7.3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 1.23 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 466 | 457 | 160 | 211 | 18 | 15 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | ARI | P | 16 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2009 | ARI | P | 30 | 30 | 15 | 18 | 2 | 3 |
| 2010 | DET | P | 31 | 31 | 14 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 2011 | DET | P | 33 | 33 | 11 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| 2012 | DET | P | 32 | 32 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | DET | P | 32 | 32 | 17 | 21 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | DET | P | 33 | 33 | 9 | 17 | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 | WAS | P | 33 | 33 | 7 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | WAS | P | 34 | 34 | 12 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | WAS | P | 31 | 31 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | WAS | P | 33 | 33 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | WAS | P | 27 | 27 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 | WAS | P | 12 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2021 | LAN | P | 11 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | WAS | P | 19 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | NYN | P | 23 | 23 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 | NYN | P | 19 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | TEX | P | 8 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | TEX | P | 9 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 466 |
Awards & Honors
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | WAS | NL | $22,142,857 |
| 2015 | WAS | NL | $17,142,000 |
| 2014 | DET | AL | $15,525,000 |
| 2013 | DET | AL | $6,725,000 |
| 2012 | DET | AL | $3,750,000 |
| 2011 | DET | AL | $600,000 |
| 2010 | DET | AL | $1,500,000 |
| 2009 | ARI | NL | $1,450,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $68,834,857 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Missouri Columbia | Columbia | MO | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Cy Young Award | NL | 3rd | 113.0 | 210 | 6 |
| 2021 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 14th | 11.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2019 | Cy Young Award | NL | 3rd | 72.0 | 210 | 0 |
| 2019 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 22th | 1.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2018 | Cy Young Award | NL | 2nd | 123.0 | 210 | 1 |
| 2018 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 10th | 59.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2017 | Cy Young Award | NL | 1st | 201.0 | 210 | 27 |
| 2017 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 10th | 34.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2016 | Cy Young Award | NL | 1st | 192.0 | 210 | 25 |
| 2016 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 10th | 39.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2015 | Cy Young Award | NL | 5th | 32.0 | 210 | 0 |
| 2014 | Cy Young Award | AL | 5th | 32.0 | 210 | 0 |
| 2013 | Cy Young Award | AL | 1st | 203.0 | 210 | 28 |
| 2013 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 25.0 | 420 | 0 |