What is a Maddux? Definition, Criteria, and Examples
A Maddux is a complete-game shutout thrown on fewer than 100 pitches, named after Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, who threw 13 of them — the most in the pitch-count era.
What is a Maddux in Baseball?
A Maddux is a complete-game shutout in which the pitcher throws fewer than 100 pitches. The term was coined by writer Jason Lukehart in 2012 and named for Greg Maddux, the Atlanta Braves ace who made pitch efficiency an art form. To qualify, a pitcher must go the full nine innings (or more, in extra-inning games), allow zero runs, and finish with a pitch count of 99 or lower. It is the ultimate stat for measuring dominance through efficiency rather than raw stuff.
How a Maddux Is Counted
The criteria are strict and binary:
1. Complete game — the pitcher records every out for his team.
2. Shutout — zero runs allowed, earned or unearned.
3. Fewer than 100 pitches — 99 pitches is a Maddux; 100 is not.
Extra-inning Madduxes are allowed as long as the pitcher finishes the game under 100 pitches, which makes them exceptionally rare. Officially, MLB tracks pitch counts precisely only since 1988, so the leaderboard is limited to the pitch-count era. Greg Maddux leads with 13 career Madduxes, followed by Zane Smith with 8 and Bob Tewksbury with 7.
A Worked Example
On July 22, 1997, Greg Maddux faced the Chicago Cubs and threw a complete-game shutout on just 76 pitches — 63 of them strikes. He faced 28 batters, struck out 6, walked none, and induced a stream of weak grounders with his two-seam fastball. That game is the gold standard: an average of roughly 2.7 pitches per batter. For a modern comparison, Aaron Civale threw a 94-pitch Maddux for Cleveland in 2021, and Shelby Miller authored a 99-pitch version in 2013.
Why the Maddux Matters
The Maddux captures a skill that ERA and WHIP only hint at: the ability to end at-bats early. Pitchers who work efficiently go deeper into games, save the bullpen, and give their teams more rest-day flexibility. Front offices value first-pitch strikes and weak contact precisely because they produce Maddux-style outings. In fantasy baseball, a pitcher with Maddux potential is a goldmine in leagues that reward complete games and innings pitched.
Limitations and Misconceptions
The Maddux rewards contact pitching, so a high-strikeout pitcher can throw a brilliant 14-strikeout shutout on 118 pitches and not qualify. It also ignores game context — a 1-0 Maddux and a 9-0 Maddux count identically. And because bullpens have shrunk starter workloads, the Maddux is becoming endangered: full seasons now pass with only a handful league-wide.
Related Terms
In Legends Deck: Pitcher cards with elite command and ground-ball ratings can go deeper into simulated games on fewer pitches, making Maddux outings — and the in-game stamina bonuses that come with them — a real strategic edge.