Bert Blyleven vs Tom Glavine: Career Stats Comparison
Bert Blyleven has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bert Blyleven played 1970–1992 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
Bert Blyleven (1970–1992) and Tom Glavine (1987–2008) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bert Blyleven finished with 287 wins and 3,701 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? Bert Blyleven, with 3.31 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Bert Blyleven's 287.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bert Blyleven, with 1.20 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Bert Blyleven, with 4,970.0 to Tom Glavine's 4,413.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bert Blyleven, with 60 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bert Blyleven, with 74,910 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Bert Blyleven
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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bert Blyleven | Tom Glavine |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 287 | Leads: 305 |
| Losses not scored | 250 | 203 |
| Games | Leads: 692 | 682 |
| Games Started | Leads: 685 | 682 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 242 | 56 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 60 | 25 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,701 | 2,607 |
| Walks not scored | 1,322 | 1,500 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,632 | 4,298 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 430 | 356 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,970.0 | 4,413.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.31 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.70 | 5.32 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 3.06 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bert Blyleven outpaces Tom Glavine 74,910 to 40,421 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,121 PIV per season to 1,837, across 24 seasons to 22. 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).
Bert Blyleven — 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, Bert Blyleven leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Glavine owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bert Blyleven. PIV agrees: Bert Blyleven grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bert Blyleven and Tom Glavine careers compare
Bert Blyleven and Tom Glavine were active at the same time between 1987 and 1992. With 692 games against 682 across 24 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Tom Glavine's edges on the table are wins (305 to 287). By rate, Bert Blyleven struck out 6.70 and walked 2.39 per nine innings; Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06. Both had the same role: Bert Blyleven was mainly a starter (685 starts in 692 games); Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games). Complete games (242 to 56) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Bert Blyleven's 1.20 beats Tom Glavine's 1.31.
Bert Blyleven vs Tom Glavine: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bert Blyleven or Tom Glavine?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bert Blyleven leads Tom Glavine in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3.31 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Bert Blyleven's 287.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bert Blyleven, with 1.20 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.