Shane Bieber vs Hilton Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Hilton Smith 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). Shane Bieber has played 2018–present as a pitcher; Hilton Smith played ?–1948 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
Shane Bieber (2018–present) and Hilton Smith (?–1948) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Shane Bieber has 71 wins and 1,039 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Hilton Smith finished with 71 wins and 628 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hilton Smith, with 2.93 to Shane Bieber's 3.31.
- Who won more games? Neither — both are at 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Shane Bieber, with 1,039 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Shane Bieber's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Hilton Smith, with 975.1 to Shane Bieber's 939.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hilton Smith, with 8 to Shane Bieber's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hilton Smith, with 37,558 career Pitcher PIV to Shane Bieber's 25,160.
Shane Bieber
Hilton Smith
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Shane Bieber is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Shane Bieber | Hilton Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | 71 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 38 |
| Games | 154 | Leads: 170 |
| Games Started | Leads: 152 | 104 |
| Complete Games | 5 | Leads: 63 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 8 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 16 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,039 | 628 |
| Walks not scored | 219 | 198 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 841 | 883 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 112 | 19 |
| Innings Pitched | 939.0 | Leads: 975.1 |
| ERA | 3.31 | Leads: 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.13 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.96 | 5.79 |
| BB/9 | 2.10 | Leads: 1.83 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hilton Smith outpaces Shane Bieber 37,558 to 25,160 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Hilton Smith played 15 seasons to Shane Bieber's 8, while Shane Bieber carries the higher per-season figure (3,145 to 2,504). 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).
Shane Bieber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hilton Smith — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hilton Smith leads in ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Shane Bieber owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hilton Smith. PIV agrees: Hilton Smith grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Shane Bieber and Hilton Smith careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Hilton Smith's ended in 1948, and Shane Bieber debuted in 2018. The two careers are close in length, 154 games for Shane Bieber and 170 for Hilton Smith across 8 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Shane Bieber comes out ahead, it is in starts (152 to 104), strikeouts (1,039 to 628), and strikeouts per nine (9.96 to 5.79). The per-nine rows read 9.96 strikeouts and 2.10 walks for Shane Bieber, 5.79 and 1.83 for Hilton Smith. Because Shane Bieber is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Shane Bieber vs Hilton Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Shane Bieber or Hilton Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hilton Smith leads Shane Bieber in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hilton Smith, with 2.93 to Shane Bieber's 3.31.
- Who won more games?
- Neither — both are at 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Shane Bieber, with 1,039 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Shane Bieber's 1.13.