Bartolo Colon 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). Bartolo Colon played 1997–2018 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
Bartolo Colon (1997–2018) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bartolo Colon finished with 247 wins and 2,535 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 Bartolo Colon's 4.12.
- Who won more games? Bartolo Colon, with 247 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Bartolo Colon's 2,535.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Bartolo Colon's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Bartolo Colon's 3,461.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Bartolo Colon's 13.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Bartolo Colon's 11,835.
Bartolo Colon
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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bartolo Colon | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 247 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 188 | 155 |
| Games | 565 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | Leads: 552 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 38 | Leads: 53 |
| Shutouts | 13 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,535 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 948 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,593 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 439 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,461.2 | Leads: 3,473.0 |
| ERA | 4.12 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 6.59 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.46 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Bartolo Colon 91,907 to 11,835 — driven by per-season impact — 4,178 PIV per season to 515 — rather than by longevity, since John Smoltz played 22 seasons to Bartolo Colon's 23. 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).
Bartolo Colon — 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 Bartolo Colon 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 Bartolo Colon and John Smoltz careers compare
From 1997 through 2009, Bartolo Colon and John Smoltz were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 565 games for Bartolo Colon and 723 for John Smoltz across 23 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Bartolo Colon are wins (247 to 213), starts (552 to 481), and walks per nine (2.46 to 2.62). By rate, Bartolo Colon struck out 6.59 and walked 2.46 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62. Bartolo Colon was mainly a starter (552 starts in 565 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games).
Bartolo Colon vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bartolo Colon or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Bartolo Colon in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Bartolo Colon's 4.12.
- Who won more games?
- Bartolo Colon, with 247 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Bartolo Colon's 2,535.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Bartolo Colon's 1.31.