Bob Gibson vs Tom Glavine: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 as a pitcher; Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 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
Bob Gibson (1959–1975) and Tom Glavine (1987–2008) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Bob Gibson's 3,884.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Bob Gibson
Tom Glavine
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 1950s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Tom Glavine |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 251 | Leads: 305 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 203 |
| Games | 528 | Leads: 682 |
| Games Started | 482 | Leads: 682 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 56 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 25 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 2,607 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 1,500 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 4,298 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 356 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,884.1 | Leads: 4,413.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.22 | 5.32 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 3.06 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Tom Glavine 69,720 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 4,101 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Gibson played 17 seasons to Tom Glavine's 22. 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).
Bob Gibson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tom Glavine — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Gibson leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Glavine owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Gibson. PIV agrees: Bob Gibson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Gibson and Tom Glavine careers compare
Bob Gibson (1959–1975) was finished before Tom Glavine (1987–2008) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 528 games against 682 across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 7.22 strikeouts and 3.10 walks for Bob Gibson, 5.32 and 3.06 for Tom Glavine. Both had the same role: Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games); Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games). Complete games (255 to 56) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Bob Gibson's 1.19 beats Tom Glavine's 1.31.
Bob Gibson vs Tom Glavine: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Tom Glavine?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Tom Glavine in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.