Bert Blyleven vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Bert Blyleven (1970–1992) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bert Blyleven compiled 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts; John Smoltz put up 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Bert Blyleven
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Bert Blyleven | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 287 | 213 |
| Losses | 250 | 155 |
| Games | 692 | 723 |
| Games Started | 685 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 242 | 53 |
| Shutouts | 60 | 16 |
| Saves | 0 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 3,701 | 3,084 |
| Walks | 1,322 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,632 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 430 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,970 | 3,473 |
| ERA | 3.31 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 6.70 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz leads Bert Blyleven 91,907 to 74,910 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,178 vs 3,121 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bert Blyleven leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while John Smoltz owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bert Blyleven. Note that PIV actually grades John Smoltz ahead, which means Bert Blyleven's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.