Tom Glavine vs Randy Johnson: Career Stats Comparison
Randy Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Randy Johnson 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
Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Randy Johnson (1988–2009) — both debuted in the 1980s. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Randy Johnson finished with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Randy Johnson, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- How many innings did each pitch? Tom Glavine 4,413.1, Randy Johnson 4,135.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Randy Johnson, with 37 to Tom Glavine's 25.
Tom Glavine
Randy Johnson
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Randy Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 303 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 166 |
| Games not scored | 682 | 618 |
| Games Started not scored | 682 | 603 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 100 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 37 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 4,875 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,497 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 3,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 411 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,413.1 | 4,135.1 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 10.61 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.06 | 3.26 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson outpaces Tom Glavine 122,530 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 5,570 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Randy Johnson played 22 seasons to Tom Glavine's 22. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Randy Johnson leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Tom Glavine leads 2: wins and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Randy Johnson. PIV agrees: Randy Johnson 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 Randy Johnson careers compare
Tom Glavine and Randy Johnson were active at the same time between 1988 and 2008. The two careers are close in length, 682 games for Tom Glavine and 618 for Randy Johnson across 22 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Tom Glavine are wins (305 to 303) and walks per nine (3.06 to 3.26). The per-nine rows read 5.32 strikeouts and 3.06 walks for Tom Glavine, 10.61 and 3.26 for Randy Johnson. Both had the same role: Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games); Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games).
Tom Glavine vs Randy Johnson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Randy Johnson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Randy Johnson leads Tom Glavine in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.