Dave Righetti vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dave Righetti played 1979–1995 as a pitcher; Lee Smith played 1980–1997 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
Dave Righetti (1979–1995) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dave Righetti finished with 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts; Lee Smith finished with 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lee Smith, with 3.03 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Dave Righetti, with 82 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Dave Righetti's 1,112.
- Who had the better WHIP? Lee Smith, with 1.26 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Dave Righetti, with 1,403.2 to Lee Smith's 1,289.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dave Righetti, with 2 to Lee Smith's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lee Smith, with 33,335 career Pitcher PIV to Dave Righetti's 20,202.
Dave Righetti
Lee Smith
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, and the 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dave Righetti | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 82 | 71 |
| Losses not scored | 79 | 92 |
| Games | 718 | Leads: 1,022 |
| Games Started | Leads: 89 | 6 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 13 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Saves | 252 | Leads: 478 |
| Strikeouts | 1,112 | Leads: 1,251 |
| Walks not scored | 591 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,287 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 95 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,403.2 | 1,289.1 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.03 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 8.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.79 | Leads: 3.39 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith outpaces Dave Righetti 33,335 to 20,202 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,587 PIV per season to 1,188, across 21 seasons to 17. 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).
Dave Righetti — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lee Smith
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lee Smith leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dave Righetti owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lee Smith. PIV agrees: Lee Smith grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dave Righetti and Lee Smith careers compare
Dave Righetti and Lee Smith were active at the same time between 1980 and 1995. With 718 games against 1,022 across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Dave Righetti struck out 7.13 and walked 3.79 per nine innings; Lee Smith struck out 8.73 and walked 3.39. Dave Righetti worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 718 games, 252 saves), and Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves). Lee Smith allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.26 WHIP to Dave Righetti's 1.34. Only Dave Righetti has a season on the peak list; Lee Smith never reached the qualifying workload.
Dave Righetti vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Righetti or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee Smith leads Dave Righetti in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lee Smith, with 3.03 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Dave Righetti, with 82 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Dave Righetti's 1,112.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Lee Smith, with 1.26 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.