Pedro Martinez vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Pedro Martinez 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). Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 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
Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — they debuted in the 1990s and the 1980s respectively and share 18 seasons. Pedro Martinez finished with 219 wins and 3,154 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? Pedro Martinez, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? Pedro Martinez, with 219 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- How many innings did each pitch? Pedro Martinez 2,827.1, John Smoltz 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pedro Martinez, with 17 to John Smoltz's 16.
Pedro 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. 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 | Pedro Martinez | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 219 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 100 | 155 |
| Games not scored | 476 | 723 |
| Games Started not scored | 409 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 46 | Leads: 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 17 | 16 |
| Saves not scored | 3 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,154 | 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 760 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,221 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,827.1 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.93 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.05 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.04 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.42 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Martinez leads John Smoltz 113,314 to 91,907 — driven by per-season impact — 6,295 PIV per season to 4,376 — rather than by longevity, since Pedro Martinez played 18 seasons to John Smoltz's 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).
Pedro Martinez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Pedro Martinez leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. John Smoltz leads 1: complete games. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pedro Martinez. PIV agrees: Pedro Martinez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz careers compare
From 1992 through 2009, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Pedro Martinez appeared in 476 games to John Smoltz's 723. John Smoltz's edges on the table are complete games (53 to 46). By rate, Pedro Martinez struck out 10.04 and walked 2.42 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62. Their roles differ: Pedro Martinez was mainly a starter (409 starts in 476 games); John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). Pedro Martinez allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.05 WHIP to John Smoltz's 1.18.
Pedro Martinez vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pedro Martinez or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pedro Martinez leads John Smoltz in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- Pedro Martinez, with 219 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to John Smoltz's 1.18.