Tom Glavine vs Christy Mathewson: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 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 Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Christy Mathewson's 2,507.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Christy Mathewson, with 4,788.2 to Tom Glavine's 4,413.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Tom Glavine
Christy Mathewson
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, and the 1980s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Christy Mathewson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 305 | Leads: 373 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 188 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 636 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 552 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 435 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 79 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 2,507 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 848 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 4,219 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 90 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,413.1 | Leads: 4,788.2 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.32 | 4.71 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 1.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson outpaces Tom Glavine 82,446 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 4,580 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Christy Mathewson played 18 seasons to Tom Glavine's 22. 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)
Christy Mathewson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Christy Mathewson leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Tom Glavine owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Christy Mathewson. PIV agrees: Christy Mathewson 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 Christy Mathewson careers compare
No season is shared: Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916, Tom Glavine 1987–2008. With 682 games against 636 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Tom Glavine's edges on the table are games (682 to 636), starts (682 to 552), and strikeouts (2,607 to 2,507). The per-nine rows read 5.32 strikeouts and 3.06 walks for Tom Glavine, 4.71 and 1.59 for Christy Mathewson. Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games), and Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games). Complete games (56 to 435) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Tom Glavine vs Christy Mathewson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Christy Mathewson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Tom Glavine in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Christy Mathewson's 2,507.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.