Kenley Jansen vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Kenley Jansen 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). Kenley Jansen has played 2010–present 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
Kenley Jansen (2010–present) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Kenley Jansen has 58 wins and 1,329 strikeouts through October 6, 2026; 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? Kenley Jansen, with 2.60 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Lee Smith, with 71 to Kenley Jansen's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Kenley Jansen, with 1,329 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP? Kenley Jansen, with 0.97 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289.1 to Kenley Jansen's 972.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Kenley Jansen, with 34,863 career Pitcher PIV to Lee Smith's 33,335.
Kenley Jansen
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.
Kenley Jansen is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Kenley Jansen | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 58 | Leads: 71 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 92 |
| Games | 983 | Leads: 1,022 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 6 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 498 | 478 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,329 | 1,251 |
| Walks not scored | 305 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 634 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 95 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 972.1 | Leads: 1,289.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.60 | 3.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 0.97 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 12.30 | 8.73 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.82 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kenley Jansen edges Lee Smith 34,863 to 33,335 — driven by per-season impact — 2,179 PIV per season to 1,587 — rather than by longevity, since Kenley Jansen played 16 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).
Kenley Jansen
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, Kenley Jansen leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Lee Smith owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kenley Jansen. PIV agrees: Kenley Jansen grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kenley Jansen and Lee Smith careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lee Smith's ended in 1997, and Kenley Jansen debuted in 2010. The two careers are close in length, 983 games for Kenley Jansen and 1,022 for Lee Smith across 16 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lee Smith's edges on the table are wins (71 to 58), games (1,022 to 983), and starts (6 to 0). By rate, Kenley Jansen struck out 12.30 and walked 2.82 per nine innings; Lee Smith struck out 8.73 and walked 3.39. Kenley Jansen worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 983 games, 498 saves), and Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves). Because Kenley Jansen is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Kenley Jansen vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kenley Jansen or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Kenley Jansen leads Lee Smith in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Kenley Jansen, with 2.60 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Lee Smith, with 71 to Kenley Jansen's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Kenley Jansen, with 1,329 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Kenley Jansen, with 0.97 to Lee Smith's 1.26.