Tom Glavine vs Phil Niekro: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Niekro has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Phil Niekro played 1964–1987 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 Phil Niekro (1964–1987) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Phil Niekro finished with 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Phil Niekro, with 3.35 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Phil Niekro, with 318 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Phil Niekro, with 1.27 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Phil Niekro, with 5,404.1 to Tom Glavine's 4,413.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Phil Niekro, with 45 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Glavine, with 40,421 career Pitcher PIV to Phil Niekro's 13,102.
Tom Glavine
Phil Niekro
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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Phil Niekro |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 305 | Leads: 318 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 274 |
| Games | 682 | Leads: 864 |
| Games Started | 682 | Leads: 716 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 245 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 3,342 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,809 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 5,044 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 482 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,413.1 | Leads: 5,404.1 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.35 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 5.57 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 3.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine outpaces Phil Niekro 40,421 to 13,102 — driven by per-season impact — 1,837 PIV per season to 504 — rather than by longevity, since Tom Glavine played 22 seasons to Phil Niekro's 26. 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)
Phil Niekro — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Phil Niekro 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 Phil Niekro. Note that PIV actually grades Tom Glavine ahead, which means Phil Niekro's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Glavine and Phil Niekro careers compare
Tom Glavine and Phil Niekro were active at the same time between 1987 and 1987. The two careers are close in length, 682 games for Tom Glavine and 864 for Phil Niekro across 22 and 26 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Phil Niekro leads every scored row of the table. The per-nine rows read 5.32 strikeouts and 3.06 walks for Tom Glavine, 5.57 and 3.01 for Phil Niekro. Both had the same role: Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games); Phil Niekro was mainly a starter (716 starts in 864 games). The complete-game row, 56 against 245, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Tom Glavine vs Phil Niekro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Phil Niekro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Phil Niekro leads Tom Glavine in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Phil Niekro, with 3.35 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Phil Niekro, with 318 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Phil Niekro, with 1.27 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.