Trevor Hoffman vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
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 compiled 61 wins and 1,133 strikeouts; Lee Smith put up 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Trevor Hoffman
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Trevor Hoffman | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 61 | 71 |
| Losses | 75 | 92 |
| Games | 1,035 | 1,022 |
| Games Started | 0 | 6 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 601 | 478 |
| Strikeouts | 1,133 | 1,251 |
| Walks | 307 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed | 846 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 100 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,089 | 1,289 |
| ERA | 2.87 | 3.03 |
| WHIP | 1.06 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 9.36 | 8.73 |
| BB/9 | 2.54 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Trevor Hoffman leads Lee Smith 37,065 to 33,335 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,951 vs 1,587 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Trevor Hoffman — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lee Smith — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
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.