Tom Glavine vs Randy Johnson: Career Stats Comparison
Randy Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Glavine compiled 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Randy Johnson put up 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413 to Randy Johnson's 4,135.
- Who threw more shutouts? Randy Johnson, with 37 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Randy Johnson, with 122,530 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Randy Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 303 |
| Losses | 203 | 166 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 618 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 603 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 100 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 37 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 4,875 |
| Walks | 1,500 | 1,497 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,298 | 3,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 356 | 411 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413 | 4,135 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,105 vs 1,837 per year). 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
On the head-to-head card, Randy Johnson 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 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
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 7 of 12 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.