Tom Glavine vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine and Jim Palmer 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; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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 Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — 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; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Jim Palmer's 3,948.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Glavine, with 40,421 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Tom Glavine
Jim Palmer
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 | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 268 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 152 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 558 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 521 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.32 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine outpaces Jim Palmer 40,421 to 19,502 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,837 PIV per season to 1,026, across 22 seasons to 19. 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)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Glavine leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Jim Palmer owns ERA and WHIP. 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
How the Tom Glavine and Jim Palmer careers compare
Jim Palmer (1965–1984) was finished before Tom Glavine (1987–2008) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 682 games for Tom Glavine and 558 for Jim Palmer across 22 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). The complete-game row, 56 against 211, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Tom Glavine vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.