Tom Glavine vs Dwight Gooden: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine 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). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Dwight Gooden played 1984–2000 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
Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Dwight Gooden (1984–2000) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Dwight Gooden finished with 194 wins and 2,293 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Dwight Gooden, with 3.51 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Dwight Gooden's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Dwight Gooden's 2,293.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dwight Gooden, with 1.26 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Dwight Gooden's 2,800.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to Dwight Gooden's 24.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dwight Gooden, with 55,535 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Tom Glavine
Dwight Gooden
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Dwight Gooden |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 194 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 112 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 430 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 410 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 68 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 24 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 2,293 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 954 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 2,564 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 210 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 2,800.2 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.51 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 7.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.06 | 3.07 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dwight Gooden outpaces Tom Glavine 55,535 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 3,085 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Dwight Gooden played 18 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).
Tom Glavine — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dwight Gooden — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dwight Gooden leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Glavine owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dwight Gooden. PIV agrees: Dwight Gooden grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Glavine and Dwight Gooden careers compare
From 1987 through 2000, Tom Glavine and Dwight Gooden were in the majors together. Tom Glavine has the far longer record, 682 games against 430 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; Dwight Gooden struck out 7.37 and walked 3.07. Both had the same role: Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games); Dwight Gooden was mainly a starter (410 starts in 430 games). In WHIP, Dwight Gooden's 1.26 beats Tom Glavine's 1.31.
Tom Glavine vs Dwight Gooden: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Dwight Gooden?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Glavine leads Dwight Gooden in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dwight Gooden, with 3.51 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Dwight Gooden's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Dwight Gooden's 2,293.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dwight Gooden, with 1.26 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.