Pete Alexander vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; John Smoltz played 1988–2009 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
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; John Smoltz finished with 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to John Smoltz's 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to John Smoltz's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Pete Alexander's 75,743.
Pete Alexander
John Smoltz
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 1910s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 155 |
| Games | 696 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 16 |
| Saves | 32 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz leads Pete Alexander 91,907 to 75,743 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,178 PIV per season to 3,607, across 22 seasons to 21. 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).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while John Smoltz owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. Note that PIV actually grades John Smoltz ahead, which means Pete Alexander's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and John Smoltz careers compare
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) was finished before John Smoltz (1988–2009) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 696 games against 723 across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where John Smoltz comes out ahead, it is in games (723 to 696), saves (154 to 32), and strikeouts (3,084 to 2,198). The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 7.99 and 2.62 for John Smoltz. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). Complete games (437 to 53) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Pete Alexander vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads John Smoltz in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to John Smoltz's 1.18.