Phil Niekro vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Niekro (1964–1987) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Phil Niekro compiled 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts; John Smoltz put up 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Phil Niekro
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 | Phil Niekro | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 318 | 213 |
| Losses | 274 | 155 |
| Games | 864 | 723 |
| Games Started | 716 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 245 | 53 |
| Shutouts | 45 | 16 |
| Saves | 29 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 3,342 | 3,084 |
| Walks | 1,809 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 5,044 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 482 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,404 | 3,473 |
| ERA | 3.35 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.57 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 3.01 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Phil Niekro 91,907 to 13,102 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,178 vs 504 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).
Phil Niekro — 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 ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Phil Niekro owns wins, strikeouts, 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.