Tom Glavine vs Derek Lowe: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Derek Lowe played 1997–2013 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 Derek Lowe (1997–2013) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine compiled 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Derek Lowe put up 176 wins and 1,722 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 Derek Lowe's 4.03.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Derek Lowe's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Derek Lowe's 1,722.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Glavine, with 1.31 to Derek Lowe's 1.33.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413 to Derek Lowe's 2,671.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to Derek Lowe's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Glavine, with 40,421 career Pitcher PIV to Derek Lowe's 35,122.
Tom Glavine
Derek Lowe
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 | Derek Lowe |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 176 |
| Losses | 203 | 157 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 681 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 377 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 10 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 86 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 1,722 |
| Walks | 1,500 | 794 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,298 | 2,759 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 356 | 217 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413 | 2,671 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.54 | 4.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.31 | 1.33 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 5.80 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.68 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine leads Derek Lowe 40,421 to 35,122 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,837 vs 1,849 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)
Derek Lowe — 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 Derek Lowe 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
Tom Glavine vs Derek Lowe: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Derek Lowe?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Glavine leads Derek Lowe in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Glavine, with 3.54 to Derek Lowe's 4.03.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Derek Lowe's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Derek Lowe's 1,722.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Glavine, with 1.31 to Derek Lowe's 1.33.