Dennis Martinez 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). Dennis Martinez played 1976–1998 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
Dennis Martinez (1976–1998) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dennis Martinez finished with 245 wins and 2,149 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? John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Dennis Martinez's 3.70.
- Who won more games? Dennis Martinez, with 245 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Dennis Martinez's 2,149.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Dennis Martinez's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Dennis Martinez, with 3,999.2 to John Smoltz's 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dennis Martinez, with 30 to John Smoltz's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Dennis Martinez's 5,904.
Dennis Martinez
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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dennis Martinez | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 245 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 193 | 155 |
| Games | 692 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | Leads: 562 | 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 122 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 30 | 16 |
| Saves | 8 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,149 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 1,165 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,897 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 372 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,999.2 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | 3.70 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 4.84 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.62 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Dennis Martinez 91,907 to 5,904 — driven by per-season impact — 4,178 PIV per season to 246 — rather than by longevity, since John Smoltz played 22 seasons to Dennis Martinez's 24. 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).
Dennis Martinez — 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, John Smoltz leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dennis Martinez owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Smoltz. PIV agrees: John Smoltz grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dennis Martinez and John Smoltz careers compare
Dennis Martinez and John Smoltz were active at the same time between 1988 and 1998. With 692 games against 723 across 24 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 4.84 strikeouts and 2.62 walks for Dennis Martinez, 7.99 and 2.62 for John Smoltz. Dennis Martinez was mainly a starter (562 starts in 692 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). John Smoltz allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Dennis Martinez's 1.27.
Dennis Martinez vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dennis Martinez or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Dennis Martinez in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Dennis Martinez's 3.70.
- Who won more games?
- Dennis Martinez, with 245 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Dennis Martinez's 2,149.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Dennis Martinez's 1.27.