Josh Beckett vs Tom Glavine: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine 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). Josh Beckett played 2001–2014 as a pitcher; Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 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
Josh Beckett (2001–2014) and Tom Glavine (1987–2008) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Josh Beckett finished with 138 wins and 1,901 strikeouts; Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Glavine, with 3.54 to Josh Beckett's 3.88.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Josh Beckett's 138.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Josh Beckett's 1,901.
- Who had the better WHIP? Josh Beckett, with 1.23 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Josh Beckett's 2,051.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to Josh Beckett's 6.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Glavine, with 40,421 career Pitcher PIV to Josh Beckett's 25,548.
Josh Beckett
Tom Glavine
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Josh Beckett | Tom Glavine |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 138 | Leads: 305 |
| Losses not scored | 106 | 203 |
| Games | 335 | Leads: 682 |
| Games Started | 332 | Leads: 682 |
| Complete Games | 12 | Leads: 56 |
| Shutouts | 6 | Leads: 25 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,901 | Leads: 2,607 |
| Walks not scored | 629 | 1,500 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,897 | 4,298 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 238 | 356 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,051.0 | Leads: 4,413.1 |
| ERA | 3.88 | Leads: 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.34 | 5.32 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.76 | 3.06 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine outpaces Josh Beckett 40,421 to 25,548 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,837 PIV per season to 1,703, across 22 seasons to 15. 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).
Josh Beckett — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tom Glavine — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Glavine leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Josh Beckett owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Glavine. PIV agrees: Tom Glavine grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Beckett and Tom Glavine careers compare
From 2001 through 2008, Josh Beckett and Tom Glavine were in the majors together. The table compares 335 games of Josh Beckett with 682 of Tom Glavine across 15 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Josh Beckett's edges on the table are WHIP (1.23 to 1.31), strikeouts per nine (8.34 to 5.32), and walks per nine (2.76 to 3.06). By rate, Josh Beckett struck out 8.34 and walked 2.76 per nine innings; Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06. Both had the same role: Josh Beckett was mainly a starter (332 starts in 335 games); Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games).
Josh Beckett vs Tom Glavine: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Beckett or Tom Glavine?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Glavine leads Josh Beckett in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Glavine, with 3.54 to Josh Beckett's 3.88.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Josh Beckett's 138.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Josh Beckett's 1,901.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Josh Beckett, with 1.23 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.