Tommy John vs Greg Maddux: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tommy John played 1963–1989 as a pitcher; Greg Maddux played 1986–2008 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
Tommy John (1963–1989) and Greg Maddux (1986–2008) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tommy John finished with 288 wins and 2,245 strikeouts; Greg Maddux finished with 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to Tommy John's 288.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Tommy John's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Maddux, with 5,008.1 to Tommy John's 4,710.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tommy John, with 46 to Greg Maddux's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to Tommy John's 39,802.
Tommy John
Greg Maddux
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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tommy John | Greg Maddux |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 288 | Leads: 355 |
| Losses not scored | 231 | 227 |
| Games | Leads: 760 | 744 |
| Games Started | 700 | Leads: 740 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 162 | 109 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 46 | 35 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,245 | Leads: 3,371 |
| Walks not scored | 1,259 | 999 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,783 | 4,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 302 | 353 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,710.1 | Leads: 5,008.1 |
| ERA | 3.34 | Leads: 3.16 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 4.29 | Leads: 6.06 |
| BB/9 | 2.41 | Leads: 1.80 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces Tommy John 133,509 to 39,802 — driven by per-season impact — 5,340 PIV per season to 1,422 — rather than by longevity, since Greg Maddux played 25 seasons to Tommy John's 28. 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).
Tommy John — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Greg Maddux — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Maddux leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tommy John owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Greg Maddux. PIV agrees: Greg Maddux grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tommy John and Greg Maddux careers compare
From 1986 through 1989, Tommy John and Greg Maddux were in the majors together. With 760 games against 744 across 28 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Tommy John comes out ahead, it is in games (760 to 744), complete games (162 to 109), and shutouts (46 to 35). By rate, Tommy John struck out 4.29 and walked 2.41 per nine innings; Greg Maddux struck out 6.06 and walked 1.80. Tommy John was mainly a starter (700 starts in 760 games), and Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games). Greg Maddux allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.14 WHIP to Tommy John's 1.28.
Tommy John vs Greg Maddux: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tommy John or Greg Maddux?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads Tommy John in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to Tommy John's 288.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to Tommy John's 1.28.