Greg Maddux vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux 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). Greg Maddux played 1986–2008 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
Greg Maddux (1986–2008) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both debuted in the 1980s. Greg Maddux finished with 355 wins and 3,371 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? Greg Maddux, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? Greg Maddux, with 355 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- How many innings did each pitch? Greg Maddux 5,008.1, John Smoltz 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Maddux, with 35 to John Smoltz's 16.
Greg Maddux
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 | Greg Maddux | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 355 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 227 | 155 |
| Games not scored | 744 | 723 |
| Games Started not scored | 740 | 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 109 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 16 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,371 | 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 999 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,726 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 353 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,008.1 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.16 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 6.06 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.80 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Greg Maddux outpaces John Smoltz 133,509 to 91,907 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,805 PIV per season to 4,376, across 23 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).
Greg Maddux — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Greg Maddux leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. John Smoltz leads 1: strikeouts per nine. 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 Greg Maddux and John Smoltz careers compare
Greg Maddux and John Smoltz were active at the same time between 1988 and 2008. The two careers are close in length, 744 games for Greg Maddux and 723 for John Smoltz across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where John Smoltz comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (7.99 to 6.06). The per-nine rows read 6.06 strikeouts and 1.80 walks for Greg Maddux, 7.99 and 2.62 for John Smoltz. Their roles differ: Greg Maddux was mainly a starter (740 starts in 744 games); John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games).
Greg Maddux vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Greg Maddux or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Maddux leads John Smoltz in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Greg Maddux, with 3.16 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Maddux, with 355 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Maddux, with 3,371 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Maddux, with 1.14 to John Smoltz's 1.18.