Dennis Eckersley vs Cade Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley 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). Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 as a pitcher; Cade Smith has played 2024–present 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
Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Cade Smith (2024–present) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dennis Eckersley finished with 197 wins and 2,401 strikeouts; Cade Smith has 20 wins and 314 strikeouts through October 6, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cade Smith, with 2.26 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games? Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Cade Smith's 20.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Cade Smith's 314.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cade Smith, with 0.96 to Dennis Eckersley's 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Dennis Eckersley, with 3,285.2 to Cade Smith's 223.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 20 to Cade Smith's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Cade Smith's 9,241.
Dennis Eckersley
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 1970s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Cade Smith is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Dennis Eckersley | Cade Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 197 | 20 |
| Losses not scored | 171 | 7 |
| Games | Leads: 1,071 | 219 |
| Games Started | Leads: 361 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 100 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 390 | 58 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,401 | 314 |
| Walks not scored | 738 | 59 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,076 | 154 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 10 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,285.2 | 223.0 |
| ERA | 3.50 | Leads: 2.26 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 0.96 |
| K/9 | 6.58 | Leads: 12.67 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.38 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dennis Eckersley outpaces Cade Smith 41,139 to 9,241 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dennis Eckersley played 25 seasons to Cade Smith's 2, while Cade Smith carries the higher per-season figure (4,621 to 1,646). 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).
Dennis Eckersley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cade Smith
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dennis Eckersley leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Cade Smith owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dennis Eckersley. PIV agrees: Dennis Eckersley grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dennis Eckersley and Cade Smith careers compare
No season is shared: Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998, Cade Smith 2024–present. The table compares 1,071 games of Dennis Eckersley with 219 of Cade Smith across 25 and 2 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Cade Smith are ERA (2.26 to 3.50), WHIP (0.96 to 1.16), and strikeouts per nine (12.67 to 6.58). By rate, Dennis Eckersley struck out 6.58 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Cade Smith struck out 12.67 and walked 2.38. Dennis Eckersley split time between starting and relief (361 starts in 1,071 games), while Cade Smith worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 219 games, 58 saves). Cade Smith's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Dennis Eckersley vs Cade Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dennis Eckersley or Cade Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dennis Eckersley leads Cade Smith in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cade Smith, with 2.26 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Cade Smith's 20.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Cade Smith's 314.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cade Smith, with 0.96 to Dennis Eckersley's 1.16.