Tom Glavine vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine and Hal Newhouser are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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 Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Tom Glavine
Hal Newhouser
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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 207 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 488 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 374 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 33 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.31 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.06 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser edges Tom Glavine 43,492 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 2,558 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Hal Newhouser played 17 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)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Glavine owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal Newhouser. PIV agrees: Hal Newhouser 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 Hal Newhouser careers compare
Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) was finished before Tom Glavine (1987–2008) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 682 games against 488 across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; Hal Newhouser struck out 5.40 and walked 3.76. Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games), and Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games). Complete games (56 to 212) show how differently the two eras used starters. Hal Newhouser allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.31 WHIP to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
Tom Glavine vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.31.