Liam Hendriks vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Liam Hendriks played 2011–2025 as a pitcher; Lee Smith played 1980–1997 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
Liam Hendriks (2011–2025) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Liam Hendriks finished with 33 wins and 739 strikeouts; Lee Smith finished with 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lee Smith, with 3.03 to Liam Hendriks's 3.88.
- Who won more games? Lee Smith, with 71 to Liam Hendriks's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Liam Hendriks's 739.
- Who had the better WHIP? Liam Hendriks, with 1.20 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289.1 to Liam Hendriks's 663.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lee Smith, with 33,335 career Pitcher PIV to Liam Hendriks's 14,422.
Liam Hendriks
Lee Smith
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 2010s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Liam Hendriks | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 33 | Leads: 71 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 92 |
| Games | 490 | Leads: 1,022 |
| Games Started | Leads: 44 | 6 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 116 | Leads: 478 |
| Strikeouts | 739 | Leads: 1,251 |
| Walks not scored | 166 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 630 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 663.2 | Leads: 1,289.1 |
| ERA | 3.88 | Leads: 3.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.02 | 8.73 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith outpaces Liam Hendriks 33,335 to 14,422 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,587 PIV per season to 961, across 21 seasons to 15. 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).
Liam Hendriks
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Lee Smith
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lee Smith leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Liam Hendriks owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lee Smith. PIV agrees: Lee Smith grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Liam Hendriks and Lee Smith careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lee Smith's ended in 1997, and Liam Hendriks debuted in 2011. The table compares 490 games of Liam Hendriks with 1,022 of Lee Smith across 15 and 21 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Liam Hendriks struck out 10.02 and walked 2.25 per nine innings; Lee Smith struck out 8.73 and walked 3.39. Both had the same role: Liam Hendriks worked mostly in relief (44 starts in 490 games, 116 saves); Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves). In WHIP, Liam Hendriks's 1.20 beats Lee Smith's 1.26.
Liam Hendriks vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Liam Hendriks or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee Smith leads Liam Hendriks in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lee Smith, with 3.03 to Liam Hendriks's 3.88.
- Who won more games?
- Lee Smith, with 71 to Liam Hendriks's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Liam Hendriks's 739.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Liam Hendriks, with 1.20 to Lee Smith's 1.26.