Trevor Hoffman vs Bobby Shantz: Career Stats Comparison
Trevor Hoffman 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). Trevor Hoffman played 1993–2010 as a pitcher; Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964 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
Trevor Hoffman (1993–2010) and Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Trevor Hoffman finished with 61 wins and 1,133 strikeouts; Bobby Shantz finished with 119 wins and 1,072 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Trevor Hoffman, with 2.87 to Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games? Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Trevor Hoffman, with 1,133 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP? Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Bobby Shantz, with 1,935.2 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,089.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bobby Shantz, with 15 to Trevor Hoffman's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Trevor Hoffman, with 37,065 career Pitcher PIV to Bobby Shantz's 24,845.
Trevor Hoffman
Bobby Shantz
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 1990s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Trevor Hoffman | Bobby Shantz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 61 | Leads: 119 |
| Losses not scored | 75 | 99 |
| Games | Leads: 1,035 | 537 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 171 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 78 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 601 | 48 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,133 | 1,072 |
| Walks not scored | 307 | 643 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 846 | 1,795 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 100 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,089.1 | Leads: 1,935.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.87 | 3.38 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.36 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.54 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Trevor Hoffman outpaces Bobby Shantz 37,065 to 24,845 — driven by per-season impact — 1,951 PIV per season to 1,308 — rather than by longevity, since Trevor Hoffman played 19 seasons to Bobby Shantz's 19. 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).
Trevor Hoffman
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Bobby Shantz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Trevor Hoffman leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bobby Shantz owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Trevor Hoffman. PIV agrees: Trevor Hoffman grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Trevor Hoffman and Bobby Shantz careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bobby Shantz's ended in 1964, and Trevor Hoffman debuted in 1993. Trevor Hoffman has the far longer record, 1,035 games against 537 across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The per-nine rows read 9.36 strikeouts and 2.54 walks for Trevor Hoffman, 4.98 and 2.99 for Bobby Shantz. Trevor Hoffman worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 1,035 games, 601 saves), while Bobby Shantz split time between starting and relief (171 starts in 537 games). The complete-game row, 0 against 78, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Trevor Hoffman's 1.06 beats Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
Trevor Hoffman vs Bobby Shantz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Trevor Hoffman or Bobby Shantz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Trevor Hoffman leads Bobby Shantz in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 2.87 to Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games?
- Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 1,133 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.