Tom Glavine vs Greg Maddux: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Greg Maddux played 1986–2008 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 Greg Maddux (1986–2008) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Glavine compiled 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Greg Maddux put up 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Maddux, with 5,008 to Tom Glavine's 4,413.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Maddux, with 35 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Tom Glavine
Greg Maddux
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 | Greg Maddux |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 305 | Leads: 355 |
| Losses | 203 | 227 |
| Games | 682 | Leads: 744 |
| Games Started | 682 | Leads: 740 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 109 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 35 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 3,371 |
| Walks | 1,500 | 999 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,298 | 4,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 356 | 353 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,413 | Leads: 5,008 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.16 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 6.06 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 1.80 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Tom Glavine 133,509 to 40,421 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,340 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)
Greg Maddux — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Maddux leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tom Glavine owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Greg Maddux. PIV agrees: Greg Maddux grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Tom Glavine vs Greg Maddux: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Greg Maddux?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads Tom Glavine in 11 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.