Tom Glavine vs David Wells: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; David Wells played 1987–2007 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 David Wells (1987–2007) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; David Wells finished with 239 wins and 2,201 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Glavine, with 3.54 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to David Wells's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to David Wells's 2,201.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Wells, with 1.27 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to David Wells's 3,439.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to David Wells's 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Glavine, with 40,421 career Pitcher PIV to David Wells's 31,301.
Tom Glavine
David Wells
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | David Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 239 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 157 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 660 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 489 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 54 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 12 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 2,201 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 719 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 407 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 3,439.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.54 | 4.13 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 5.76 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 1.88 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine leads David Wells 40,421 to 31,301 — driven by per-season impact — 1,837 PIV per season to 1,304 — rather than by longevity, since Tom Glavine played 22 seasons to David Wells's 24. 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)
David Wells — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Glavine leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while David Wells owns 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 David Wells careers compare
Tom Glavine and David Wells were active at the same time between 1987 and 2007. With 682 games against 660 across 22 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for David Wells are saves (13 to 0), WHIP (1.27 to 1.31), and strikeouts per nine (5.76 to 5.32). By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; David Wells struck out 5.76 and walked 1.88. Both had the same role: Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games); David Wells was mainly a starter (489 starts in 660 games). In WHIP, David Wells's 1.27 beats Tom Glavine's 1.31.
Tom Glavine vs David Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or David Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Glavine leads David Wells in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Glavine, with 3.54 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to David Wells's 239.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to David Wells's 2,201.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Wells, with 1.27 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.