Mike Flanagan vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mike Flanagan played 1975–1992 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
Mike Flanagan (1975–1992) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mike Flanagan finished with 167 wins and 1,491 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 Mike Flanagan's 3.90.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Mike Flanagan's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Mike Flanagan's 1,491.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Mike Flanagan's 1.33.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Mike Flanagan's 2,770.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mike Flanagan, with 19 to John Smoltz's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Mike Flanagan's 1,239.
Mike Flanagan
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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mike Flanagan | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 167 | Leads: 213 |
| Losses not scored | 143 | 155 |
| Games | 526 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | 404 | Leads: 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 101 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 19 | 16 |
| Saves | 4 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 1,491 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 890 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,806 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 251 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,770.0 | Leads: 3,473.0 |
| ERA | 3.90 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.33 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 4.84 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.89 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Mike Flanagan 91,907 to 1,239 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,178 PIV per season to 65, across 22 seasons to 19. 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).
Mike Flanagan — 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, ERA, and WHIP, while Mike Flanagan owns no headline categories. 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 Mike Flanagan and John Smoltz careers compare
Mike Flanagan and John Smoltz were active at the same time between 1988 and 1992. The two careers are close in length, 526 games for Mike Flanagan and 723 for John Smoltz across 19 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Mike Flanagan's edges on the table are complete games (101 to 53) and shutouts (19 to 16). By rate, Mike Flanagan struck out 4.84 and walked 2.89 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62. Their roles differ: Mike Flanagan was mainly a starter (404 starts in 526 games); John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games).
Mike Flanagan vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mike Flanagan or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Mike Flanagan in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Mike Flanagan's 3.90.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Mike Flanagan's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Mike Flanagan's 1,491.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Mike Flanagan's 1.33.