Jacob deGrom 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). Jacob deGrom has played 2014–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
Jacob deGrom (2014–present) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 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? Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Jacob deGrom's 1,702.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Jacob deGrom's 58,656.
Jacob deGrom
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.
Jacob deGrom is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Jacob deGrom | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 213 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 155 |
| Games | 279 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | 279 | Leads: 481 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 53 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,052 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 391 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,312 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 166 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,702.1 | Leads: 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.73 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.85 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.07 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Jacob deGrom 91,907 to 58,656 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John Smoltz played 22 seasons to Jacob deGrom's 12, while Jacob deGrom carries the higher per-season figure (4,888 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).
Jacob deGrom — 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 Jacob deGrom 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 Jacob deGrom and John Smoltz careers compare
No season is shared: John Smoltz played 1988–2009, Jacob deGrom 2014–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Jacob deGrom has appeared in 279 games to John Smoltz's 723. The green cells for Jacob deGrom are ERA (2.73 to 3.33), WHIP (1.00 to 1.18), and strikeouts per nine (10.85 to 7.99). The per-nine rows read 10.85 strikeouts and 2.07 walks for Jacob deGrom, 7.99 and 2.62 for John Smoltz. Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). The complete-game row, 4 against 53, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Because Jacob deGrom is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jacob deGrom vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Jacob deGrom in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to John Smoltz's 1.18.