Tom Glavine vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; John Smoltz played 1988–2009 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 John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both debuted in the 1980s. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; John Smoltz finished with 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? John Smoltz, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- How many innings did each pitch? Tom Glavine 4,413.1, John Smoltz 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to John Smoltz's 16.
Tom Glavine
John Smoltz
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 155 |
| Games not scored | 682 | 723 |
| Games Started not scored | 682 | 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 16 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,413.1 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Tom Glavine 91,907 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 4,376 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since John Smoltz played 21 seasons to Tom Glavine's 22. 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)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
John Smoltz leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Tom Glavine leads 3: wins, complete games, and shutouts. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Smoltz. PIV agrees: John Smoltz 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 John Smoltz careers compare
From 1988 through 2008, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 682 games for Tom Glavine and 723 for John Smoltz across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Tom Glavine are wins (305 to 213), complete games (56 to 53), and shutouts (25 to 16). By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62. Their roles differ: Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games); John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games).
Tom Glavine vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Tom Glavine in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.