Tom Glavine vs Bret Saberhagen: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Glavine compiled 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Bret Saberhagen put up 167 wins and 1,715 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Tom Glavine
Bret Saberhagen
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Bret Saberhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 305 | 167 |
| Losses | 203 | 117 |
| Games | 682 | 399 |
| Games Started | 682 | 371 |
| Complete Games | 56 | 76 |
| Shutouts | 25 | 16 |
| Saves | 0 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | 1,715 |
| Walks | 1,500 | 471 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,298 | 2,452 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 356 | 218 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,413 | 2,562 |
| ERA | 3.54 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | 6.02 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | 1.65 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bret Saberhagen leads Tom Glavine 53,065 to 40,421 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,122 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)
Bret Saberhagen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bret Saberhagen 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 Bret Saberhagen. PIV agrees: Bret Saberhagen grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.