Roger Clemens vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Roger Clemens (1984–2007) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Roger Clemens compiled 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts; John Smoltz put up 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Roger Clemens
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 | Roger Clemens | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 354 | 213 |
| Losses | 184 | 155 |
| Games | 709 | 723 |
| Games Started | 707 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 118 | 53 |
| Shutouts | 46 | 16 |
| Saves | 0 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 4,672 | 3,084 |
| Walks | 1,580 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,185 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 363 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,916 | 3,473 |
| ERA | 3.12 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 8.55 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.89 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens outpaces John Smoltz 146,187 to 91,907 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (6,091 vs 4,178 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).
Roger Clemens — 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, Roger Clemens leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while John Smoltz owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roger Clemens. PIV agrees: Roger Clemens grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.