Tom Glavine vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine and Lefty Grove are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 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 Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP? Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Lefty Grove's 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Tom Glavine
Lefty Grove
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 1980s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 300 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 141 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 616 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 457 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 298 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 35 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 55 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 3,940.2 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.32 | 5.18 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.71 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Tom Glavine 81,321 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove 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).
Tom Glavine — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Glavine leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Lefty Grove owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Glavine. Note that PIV actually grades Lefty Grove ahead, which means Tom Glavine's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Glavine and Lefty Grove careers compare
No season is shared: Lefty Grove played 1925–1941, Tom Glavine 1987–2008. With 682 games against 616 across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71. Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games), and Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games). Complete games (56 to 298) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Lefty Grove's 1.28 beats Tom Glavine's 1.31.
Tom Glavine vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.