Mariano Rivera vs Cade Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mariano Rivera played 1995–2013 as a pitcher; Cade Smith has played 2024–present 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
Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) and Cade Smith (2024–present) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mariano Rivera finished with 82 wins and 1,173 strikeouts; Cade Smith has 20 wins and 314 strikeouts through October 6, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Cade Smith's 2.26.
- Who won more games? Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Cade Smith's 20.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Cade Smith's 314.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cade Smith, with 0.96 to Mariano Rivera's 1.00.
- Who pitched more innings? Mariano Rivera, with 1,283.2 to Cade Smith's 223.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mariano Rivera, with 52,571 career Pitcher PIV to Cade Smith's 9,241.
Mariano Rivera
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 1990s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Cade Smith is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Mariano Rivera | Cade Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 82 | 20 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 7 |
| Games | Leads: 1,115 | 219 |
| Games Started | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 652 | 58 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,173 | 314 |
| Walks not scored | 286 | 59 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 998 | 154 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 71 | 10 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,283.2 | 223.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.21 | 2.26 |
| WHIP | 1.00 | Leads: 0.96 |
| K/9 | 8.22 | Leads: 12.67 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.01 | 2.38 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Cade Smith 52,571 to 9,241 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Mariano Rivera played 19 seasons to Cade Smith's 2, while Cade Smith carries the higher per-season figure (4,621 to 2,767). 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).
Mariano Rivera
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Cade Smith
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mariano Rivera leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Cade Smith owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mariano Rivera. PIV agrees: Mariano Rivera grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mariano Rivera and Cade Smith careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Mariano Rivera's ended in 2013, and Cade Smith debuted in 2024. The table compares 1,115 games of Mariano Rivera with 219 of Cade Smith across 19 and 2 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Cade Smith comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (0.96 to 1.00) and strikeouts per nine (12.67 to 8.22). By rate, Mariano Rivera struck out 8.22 and walked 2.01 per nine innings; Cade Smith struck out 12.67 and walked 2.38. Mariano Rivera worked mostly in relief (10 starts in 1,115 games, 652 saves), and Cade Smith worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 219 games, 58 saves). Cade Smith's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Mariano Rivera vs Cade Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mariano Rivera or Cade Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mariano Rivera leads Cade Smith in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Cade Smith's 2.26.
- Who won more games?
- Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Cade Smith's 20.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Cade Smith's 314.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cade Smith, with 0.96 to Mariano Rivera's 1.00.