Trevor Hoffman vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Trevor Hoffman 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). Trevor Hoffman played 1993–2010 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
Trevor Hoffman (1993–2010) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Trevor Hoffman finished with 61 wins and 1,133 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? Trevor Hoffman, with 2.87 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Lee Smith, with 71 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,133.
- Who had the better WHIP? Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289.1 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,089.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Trevor Hoffman, with 37,065 career Pitcher PIV to Lee Smith's 33,335.
Trevor Hoffman
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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Trevor Hoffman | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 61 | Leads: 71 |
| Losses not scored | 75 | 92 |
| Games | Leads: 1,035 | 1,022 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 6 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 601 | 478 |
| Strikeouts | 1,133 | Leads: 1,251 |
| Walks not scored | 307 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 846 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 100 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,089.1 | Leads: 1,289.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.87 | 3.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.36 | 8.73 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.54 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Trevor Hoffman leads Lee Smith 37,065 to 33,335 — driven by per-season impact — 1,951 PIV per season to 1,587 — rather than by longevity, since Trevor Hoffman played 19 seasons to Lee Smith's 21. 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.
Lee Smith
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Trevor Hoffman leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Lee Smith owns wins, strikeouts, 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 Lee Smith careers compare
The careers of Trevor Hoffman (1993–2010) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) overlapped from 1993 to 1997, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,035 games against 1,022 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Lee Smith comes out ahead, it is in wins (71 to 61), starts (6 to 0), and strikeouts (1,251 to 1,133). The per-nine rows read 9.36 strikeouts and 2.54 walks for Trevor Hoffman, 8.73 and 3.39 for Lee Smith. Both had the same role: Trevor Hoffman worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 1,035 games, 601 saves); Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves).
Trevor Hoffman vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Trevor Hoffman or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Trevor Hoffman leads Lee Smith in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 2.87 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Lee Smith, with 71 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,133.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Lee Smith's 1.26.