Mark Buehrle vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mark Buehrle played 2000–2015 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
Mark Buehrle (2000–2015) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mark Buehrle finished with 214 wins and 1,870 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? John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Mark Buehrle's 3.81.
- Who won more games? Mark Buehrle, with 214 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Mark Buehrle's 1,870.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Mark Buehrle's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Mark Buehrle's 3,283.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Mark Buehrle's 10.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Mark Buehrle's 9,858.
Mark Buehrle
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 2000s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mark Buehrle | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 214 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 160 | 155 |
| Games | 518 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | Leads: 493 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 33 | Leads: 53 |
| Shutouts | 10 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 1,870 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 734 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,472 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 361 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,283.1 | Leads: 3,473.0 |
| ERA | 3.81 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.13 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.01 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Mark Buehrle 91,907 to 9,858 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,178 PIV per season to 616, across 22 seasons to 16. 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).
Mark Buehrle — 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, John Smoltz leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Mark Buehrle owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Smoltz. PIV agrees: John Smoltz grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mark Buehrle and John Smoltz careers compare
From 2000 through 2009, Mark Buehrle and John Smoltz were in the majors together. With 518 games against 723 across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Mark Buehrle comes out ahead, it is in wins (214 to 213), starts (493 to 481), and walks per nine (2.01 to 2.62). The per-nine rows read 5.13 strikeouts and 2.01 walks for Mark Buehrle, 7.99 and 2.62 for John Smoltz. Mark Buehrle was mainly a starter (493 starts in 518 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). In WHIP, John Smoltz's 1.18 beats Mark Buehrle's 1.28.
Mark Buehrle vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark Buehrle or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Mark Buehrle in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Mark Buehrle's 3.81.
- Who won more games?
- Mark Buehrle, with 214 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Mark Buehrle's 1,870.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Mark Buehrle's 1.28.