Lefty Grove vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz 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). Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 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
Lefty Grove (1925–1941) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; John Smoltz finished with 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to John Smoltz's 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to John Smoltz's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Lefty Grove's 81,321.
Lefty Grove
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. 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 1920s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 155 |
| Games | 616 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | 457 | Leads: 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 16 |
| Saves | 55 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,266 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,940.2 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.18 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz leads Lefty Grove 91,907 to 81,321 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John Smoltz played 22 seasons to Lefty Grove's 17, while Lefty Grove carries the higher per-season figure (4,784 to 4,178). 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).
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Smoltz leads in strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Lefty Grove owns wins, ERA, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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 Lefty Grove and John Smoltz careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lefty Grove's ended in 1941, and John Smoltz debuted in 1988. With 616 games against 723 across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 5.18 strikeouts and 2.71 walks for Lefty Grove, 7.99 and 2.62 for John Smoltz. Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). The complete-game row, 298 against 53, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. John Smoltz allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
Lefty Grove vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Lefty Grove in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.