Greg Maddux vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Maddux has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Greg Maddux compiled 355 wins and 3,371 strikeouts; John Smoltz put up 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? 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Maddux, with 5,008 to John Smoltz's 3,473.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Maddux, with 35 to John Smoltz's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Greg Maddux, with 133,509 career Pitcher PIV to John Smoltz's 91,907.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Greg Maddux | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 355 | 213 |
| Losses | 227 | 155 |
| Games | Leads: 744 | 723 |
| Games Started | Leads: 740 | 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 109 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,371 | 3,084 |
| Walks | 999 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,726 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 353 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,008 | 3,473 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,340 vs 4,178 per year). 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
On the head-to-head card, Greg Maddux leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while John Smoltz owns K/9. 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
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 10 of 12 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.