Andy Pettitte vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz 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). Andy Pettitte played 1995–2013 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
Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — they debuted in the 1990s and the 1980s respectively and share 15 seasons. Andy Pettitte finished with 256 wins and 2,448 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? John Smoltz, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Andy Pettitte, with 256 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
- How many innings did each pitch? Andy Pettitte 3,316.0, John Smoltz 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Andy Pettitte's 4.
Andy Pettitte
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 | Andy Pettitte | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 256 | 213 |
| Losses not scored | 153 | 155 |
| Games not scored | 531 | 723 |
| Games Started not scored | 521 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 26 | Leads: 53 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,448 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 1,031 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,448 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 288 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,316.0 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | 3.85 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.35 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 6.64 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.80 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Andy Pettitte 91,907 to 57,293 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,376 PIV per season to 3,183, across 21 seasons to 18. 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).
Andy Pettitte — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
John Smoltz leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Andy Pettitte leads 1: wins. 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 Andy Pettitte and John Smoltz careers compare
The careers of Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) overlapped from 1995 to 2009, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 531 games for Andy Pettitte and 723 for John Smoltz across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Andy Pettitte comes out ahead, it is in wins (256 to 213). By rate, Andy Pettitte struck out 6.64 and walked 2.80 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62. Andy Pettitte was mainly a starter (521 starts in 531 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games).
Andy Pettitte vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andy Pettitte or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Andy Pettitte in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Andy Pettitte, with 256 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.