Steve Carlton vs Tom Glavine: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 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
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Tom Glavine (1987–2008) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 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? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Tom Glavine's 4,413.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Steve Carlton
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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Tom Glavine |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 305 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 203 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 682 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 682 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 56 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 25 |
| Saves | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 2,607 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,500 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 4,298 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 356 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 4,413.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.25 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 5.32 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 3.06 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Tom Glavine 76,502 to 40,421 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,833 PIV per season to 1,837, across 27 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).
Steve Carlton — 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, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tom Glavine owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Tom Glavine careers compare
The careers of Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Tom Glavine (1987–2008) overlapped from 1987 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 741 games against 682 across 27 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Tom Glavine's edges on the table are walks per nine (3.06 to 3.16). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06. Both had the same role: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games).
Steve Carlton vs Tom Glavine: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Tom Glavine?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Tom Glavine in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.