Tom Glavine vs Bob Welch: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Welch has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Bob Welch played 1978–1994 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 Bob Welch (1978–1994) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Bob Welch finished with 211 wins and 1,969 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Welch, with 3.47 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Bob Welch's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Bob Welch's 1,969.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Welch, with 1.27 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Bob Welch's 3,092.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Welch, with 28 to Tom Glavine's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Glavine, with 40,421 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Welch's 15,932.
Tom Glavine
Bob Welch
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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Bob Welch |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 211 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 146 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 506 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 462 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 61 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 28 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 8 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 1,969 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,034 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 2,894 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 267 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 3,092.0 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.47 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 5.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 3.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine outpaces Bob Welch 40,421 to 15,932 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,837 PIV per season to 937, across 22 seasons to 17. 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)
Bob Welch — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Glavine leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Bob Welch owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. 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 Bob Welch careers compare
From 1987 through 1994, Tom Glavine and Bob Welch were in the majors together. With 682 games against 506 across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; Bob Welch struck out 5.73 and walked 3.01. Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games), and Bob Welch was mainly a starter (462 starts in 506 games). In WHIP, Bob Welch's 1.27 beats Tom Glavine's 1.31. Bob Welch owns the better peak by ERA: 2.47 ERA in 1998 for Tom Glavine against 2.31 ERA in 1985 for Bob Welch.
Tom Glavine vs Bob Welch: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Bob Welch?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Welch leads Tom Glavine in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Welch, with 3.47 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Bob Welch's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Bob Welch's 1,969.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Welch, with 1.27 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.