Mariano Rivera vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera 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). Mariano Rivera played 1995–2013 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
Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) and Lee Smith (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mariano Rivera finished with 82 wins and 1,173 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? Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289.1 to Mariano Rivera's 1,283.2.
- 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 Lee Smith's 33,335.
Mariano Rivera
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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mariano Rivera | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 82 | 71 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 92 |
| Games | Leads: 1,115 | 1,022 |
| Games Started | Leads: 10 | 6 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 652 | 478 |
| Strikeouts | 1,173 | Leads: 1,251 |
| Walks not scored | 286 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 998 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 71 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,283.2 | Leads: 1,289.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.21 | 3.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 8.22 | Leads: 8.73 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.01 | 3.39 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Lee Smith 52,571 to 33,335 — driven by per-season impact — 2,767 PIV per season to 1,587 — rather than by longevity, since Mariano Rivera played 19 seasons to Lee Smith's 21. 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.
Lee 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, ERA, and WHIP, while Lee Smith owns strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched. 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 Lee Smith careers compare
From 1995 through 1997, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,115 games for Mariano Rivera and 1,022 for Lee Smith across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lee Smith's edges on the table are strikeouts (1,251 to 1,173), innings (1,289.1 to 1,283.2), and strikeouts per nine (8.73 to 8.22). By rate, Mariano Rivera struck out 8.22 and walked 2.01 per nine innings; Lee Smith struck out 8.73 and walked 3.39. Mariano Rivera worked mostly in relief (10 starts in 1,115 games, 652 saves), and Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves).
Mariano Rivera vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mariano Rivera or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mariano Rivera leads Lee Smith in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Lee Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Lee Smith's 1.26.