Jack McDowell vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jack McDowell played 1987–1999 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
Jack McDowell (1987–1999) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jack McDowell finished with 127 wins and 1,311 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 Jack McDowell's 3.85.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Jack McDowell's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Jack McDowell's 1,311.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Jack McDowell's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Jack McDowell's 1,889.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Jack McDowell's 13.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Jack McDowell's 17,001.
Jack McDowell
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jack McDowell | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 127 | Leads: 213 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 155 |
| Games | 277 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | 275 | Leads: 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 62 | 53 |
| Shutouts | 13 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 1,311 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 606 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,854 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 173 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,889.0 | Leads: 3,473.0 |
| ERA | 3.85 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.30 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 6.25 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.89 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Jack McDowell 91,907 to 17,001 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,178 PIV per season to 1,417, across 22 seasons to 12. 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).
Jack McDowell — 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 wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jack McDowell owns no headline categories. 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 Jack McDowell and John Smoltz careers compare
From 1988 through 1999, Jack McDowell and John Smoltz were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Jack McDowell appeared in 277 games to John Smoltz's 723. Jack McDowell's edges on the table are complete games (62 to 53). By rate, Jack McDowell struck out 6.25 and walked 2.89 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62. Jack McDowell was mainly a starter (275 starts in 277 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 Jack McDowell's 1.30.
Jack McDowell vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack McDowell or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Jack McDowell in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Jack McDowell's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Jack McDowell's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Jack McDowell's 1,311.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Jack McDowell's 1.30.