Roger Clemens vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Roger Clemens has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roger Clemens played 1984–2007 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
Roger Clemens (1984–2007) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both debuted in the 1980s. Roger Clemens finished with 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts; John Smoltz finished with 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Roger Clemens, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? Roger Clemens, with 354 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- How many innings did each pitch? Roger Clemens 4,916.2, John Smoltz 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roger Clemens, with 46 to John Smoltz's 16.
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. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roger Clemens | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 354 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 155 |
| Games not scored | 709 | 723 |
| Games Started not scored | 707 | 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 118 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 46 | 16 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,672 | 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 1,580 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,185 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 363 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,916.2 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.12 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.55 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.89 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens outpaces John Smoltz 146,187 to 91,907 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 6,091 PIV per season to 4,376, across 24 seasons to 21. 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
Roger Clemens leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. John Smoltz leads 1: walks per nine. 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.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Clemens and John Smoltz careers compare
Roger Clemens and John Smoltz were active at the same time between 1988 and 2007. The two careers are close in length, 709 games for Roger Clemens and 723 for John Smoltz across 24 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for John Smoltz are walks per nine (2.62 to 2.89). By rate, Roger Clemens struck out 8.55 and walked 2.89 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62. Roger Clemens was mainly a starter (707 starts in 709 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games).
Roger Clemens vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Clemens or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roger Clemens leads John Smoltz in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- Roger Clemens, with 354 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to John Smoltz's 1.18.