Fred McGriff vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff and John Smoltz played different roles, so their careers are compared side by side rather than scored against each other. Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 as a hitter; John Smoltz played 1988–2009 as a pitcher.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Fred McGriff (1986–2004) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) played opposite sides of the ball, so there is no honest category-by-category scoreboard for this matchup. John Smoltz pitched, totalling 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts; Fred McGriff hit, totalling 2,490 hits and 493 home runs. Each career is shown below in its own discipline, with PIV as the one measure that spans both roles.
Quick answer
- Who has the higher career PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career PIV to Fred McGriff's 37,233.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Fred McGriff
John Smoltz
Career Stats, Each in His Own Role
John Smoltz is shown on pitching lines and Fred McGriff on batting lines. Nothing is marked as a category winner, because these two cards measure different jobs — reading them cell against cell would tell you nothing.
Fred McGriff — Hitter
| Statistic | Fred McGriff |
|---|---|
| Games | 2,460 |
| At-Bats | 8,757 |
| Runs | 1,349 |
| Hits | 2,490 |
| Doubles | 441 |
| Triples | 24 |
| Home Runs | 493 |
| RBI | 1,550 |
| Walks | 1,305 |
| Strikeouts | 1,882 |
| Stolen Bases | 72 |
| Batting Avg | .284 |
| On-Base % | .377 |
| Slugging % | .509 |
| OPS | .886 |
John Smoltz — Pitcher
| Statistic | John Smoltz |
|---|---|
| Wins | 213 |
| Losses | 155 |
| Games | 723 |
| Games Started | 481 |
| Complete Games | 53 |
| Shutouts | 16 |
| Saves | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 3,084 |
| Walks | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
Fred McGriff carries a career batting PIV of 37,233; John Smoltz carries a career pitching PIV of 91,907. John Smoltz is the higher of the two at 91,907 to 37,233. Both figures adjust each season to league baselines, but batting PIV and pitching PIV are calibrated separately — so read this as a directional comparison of career impact, not a settled verdict.
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 within his own role — ERA for the pitcher (120+ innings), OPS for the hitter (300+ at-bats).
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
There is no head-to-head scoreboard for John Smoltz and Fred McGriff: one pitched and one hit, and no counting stat means the same thing on both cards. On PIV — the one metric that scores both roles against league baselines — John Smoltz grades higher, 91,907 to 37,233. Because the batting and pitching versions of PIV are calibrated separately, that gap is a directional signal about career impact rather than a ruling on who was the better ballplayer. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fred McGriff and John Smoltz careers compare
From 1988 through 2004, Fred McGriff and John Smoltz were in the majors together. As a hitter, Fred McGriff collected 2,490 hits and 493 home runs with a .886 OPS. As a pitcher, John Smoltz went 213-155 with a 3.33 ERA and 3,084 strikeouts. No single table can grade a pitcher against a hitter, so each career is shown in its own discipline, with PIV as the common scale. Their best seasons are measured differently, 1.012 OPS in 1994 for Fred McGriff and 2.85 ERA in 1992 for John Smoltz.
Fred McGriff vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who has the higher career PIV?
- John Smoltz, with 91,907 career PIV to Fred McGriff's 37,233.
- Who won more championships?
- Both — each won 1 World Series title.
- How do Fred McGriff and John Smoltz compare?
- Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 and John Smoltz played 1988–2009; this page sets their career totals side by side in every category both accumulated.