Tom Glavine vs Mark Langston: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Mark Langston played 1984–1999 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 Mark Langston (1984–1999) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Mark Langston finished with 179 wins and 2,464 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Glavine, with 3.54 to Mark Langston's 3.97.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Mark Langston's 179.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Mark Langston's 2,464.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Glavine, with 1.31 to Mark Langston's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Mark Langston's 2,962.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to Mark Langston's 18.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Glavine, with 40,421 career Pitcher PIV to Mark Langston's 9,258.
Tom Glavine
Mark Langston
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 | Mark Langston |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 179 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 158 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 457 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 428 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 81 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 18 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 2,464 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,289 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 2,723 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 311 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 2,962.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.54 | 3.97 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.31 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 7.49 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.06 | 3.92 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine outpaces Mark Langston 40,421 to 9,258 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,837 PIV per season to 545, across 22 seasons to 17. 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)
Mark Langston — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Glavine leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Mark Langston owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Glavine. PIV agrees: Tom Glavine 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 Mark Langston careers compare
Tom Glavine and Mark Langston were active at the same time between 1987 and 1999. The two careers are close in length, 682 games for Tom Glavine and 457 for Mark Langston across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Mark Langston are complete games (81 to 56) and strikeouts per nine (7.49 to 5.32). By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; Mark Langston struck out 7.49 and walked 3.92. Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games), and Mark Langston was mainly a starter (428 starts in 457 games).
Tom Glavine vs Mark Langston: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Mark Langston?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Glavine leads Mark Langston in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Glavine, with 3.54 to Mark Langston's 3.97.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Mark Langston's 179.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Mark Langston's 2,464.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Glavine, with 1.31 to Mark Langston's 1.35.