Andy Pettitte vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Andy Pettitte compiled 256 wins and 2,448 strikeouts; John Smoltz put up 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 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.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473 to Andy Pettitte's 3,316.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Andy Pettitte's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Andy Pettitte's 57,293.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Andy Pettitte | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 256 | 213 |
| Losses | 153 | 155 |
| Games | 531 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | Leads: 521 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 26 | Leads: 53 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 2,448 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks | 1,031 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,448 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 288 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,316 | Leads: 3,473 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,178 vs 3,183 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).
Andy Pettitte — 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 strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Andy Pettitte owns wins. 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
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 10 of 12 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.