Clayton Kershaw vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Clayton Kershaw played 2008–2025 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
Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; John Smoltz finished with 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Clayton Kershaw's 3,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to John Smoltz's 91,907.
Clayton Kershaw
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. 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 2000s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 155 |
| Games | 455 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | 451 | Leads: 481 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 53 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 3,052 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855.1 | Leads: 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.62 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw edges John Smoltz 93,455 to 91,907 — driven by per-season impact — 5,192 PIV per season to 4,178 — rather than by longevity, since Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to John Smoltz's 22. 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).
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while John Smoltz owns strikeouts and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. PIV agrees: Clayton Kershaw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Clayton Kershaw and John Smoltz careers compare
From 2008 through 2009, Clayton Kershaw and John Smoltz were in the majors together. The table compares 455 games of Clayton Kershaw with 723 of John Smoltz across 18 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The per-nine rows read 9.62 strikeouts and 2.25 walks for Clayton Kershaw, 7.99 and 2.62 for John Smoltz. Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). In WHIP, Clayton Kershaw's 1.02 beats John Smoltz's 1.18. Clayton Kershaw owns the better peak by ERA: 1.69 ERA in 2016 for Clayton Kershaw against 2.85 ERA in 1992 for John Smoltz.
Clayton Kershaw vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Clayton Kershaw in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Clayton Kershaw's 3,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to John Smoltz's 1.18.