Tom Glavine vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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 Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — 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; Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Seaver, with 4,782.2 to Tom Glavine's 4,413.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Seaver, with 79,192 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Tom Glavine
Tom Seaver
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 | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 305 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 205 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 656 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 647 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 231 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,413.1 | Leads: 4,782.2 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 6.85 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Tom Glavine 79,192 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 3,600 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Tom Seaver played 22 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)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver 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 Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver 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 Tom Seaver careers compare
Tom Seaver (1967–1986) 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 656 for Tom Seaver across 22 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Tom Glavine's edges on the table are games (682 to 656) and starts (682 to 647). The per-nine rows read 5.32 strikeouts and 3.06 walks for Tom Glavine, 6.85 and 2.62 for Tom Seaver. Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games), and Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games).
Tom Glavine vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Tom Glavine in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Tom Glavine's 305.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.