Gerrit Cole vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present 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
Gerrit Cole (2013–present) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 6, 2026; 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? Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Gerrit Cole's 50,909.
Gerrit Cole
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 2010s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Gerrit Cole is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Gerrit Cole | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 213 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 155 |
| Games | 339 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | 339 | Leads: 481 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 53 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,382 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,081.0 | Leads: 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.27 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Gerrit Cole 91,907 to 50,909 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John Smoltz played 22 seasons to Gerrit Cole's 12, while Gerrit Cole carries the higher per-season figure (4,242 to 4,178). 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).
Gerrit Cole — 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 wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Gerrit Cole owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. 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 Gerrit Cole and John Smoltz careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: John Smoltz's ended in 2009, and Gerrit Cole debuted in 2013. John Smoltz has the far longer record, 723 games against 339 across 12 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Gerrit Cole's edges on the table are ERA (3.20 to 3.33), WHIP (1.09 to 1.18), and strikeouts per nine (10.30 to 7.99). By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62. Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). Because Gerrit Cole is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gerrit Cole vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Gerrit Cole in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to John Smoltz's 1.18.