Greg Maddux vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
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.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Greg Maddux | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 355 | 213 |
| Losses | 227 | 155 |
| Games | 744 | 723 |
| Games Started | 740 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 109 | 53 |
| Shutouts | 35 | 16 |
| Saves | 0 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 3,371 | 3,084 |
| Walks | 999 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,726 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 353 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,008 | 3,473 |
| ERA | 3.16 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 6.06 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 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.