Randy Johnson vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Randy Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 as a pitcher; John Smoltz played 1988–2009 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
Randy Johnson (1988–2009) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both debuted in the 1980s. Randy Johnson finished with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts; John Smoltz finished with 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Randy Johnson, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? Randy Johnson, with 303 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP? Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- How many innings did each pitch? Randy Johnson 4,135.1, John Smoltz 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Randy Johnson, with 37 to John Smoltz's 16.
Randy Johnson
John Smoltz
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Randy Johnson | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 303 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 155 |
| Games not scored | 618 | 723 |
| Games Started not scored | 603 | 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 100 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 37 | 16 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,875 | 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 1,497 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,346 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 411 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,135.1 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.29 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.61 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 3.26 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson leads John Smoltz 122,530 to 91,907 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,570 PIV per season to 4,376, across 22 seasons to 21. 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).
Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Randy Johnson leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. John Smoltz leads 1: walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Randy Johnson. PIV agrees: Randy Johnson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Randy Johnson and John Smoltz careers compare
From 1988 through 2009, Randy Johnson and John Smoltz were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 618 games for Randy Johnson and 723 for John Smoltz across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. John Smoltz's edges on the table are walks per nine (2.62 to 3.26). The per-nine rows read 10.61 strikeouts and 3.26 walks for Randy Johnson, 7.99 and 2.62 for John Smoltz. Their roles differ: Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games); John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). In WHIP, Randy Johnson's 1.17 beats John Smoltz's 1.18.
Randy Johnson vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Randy Johnson or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Randy Johnson leads John Smoltz in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- Randy Johnson, with 303 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to John Smoltz's 1.18.