Bret Saberhagen vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 4 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001 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
Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both debuted in the 1980s. Bret Saberhagen finished with 167 wins and 1,715 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 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bret Saberhagen, with 1.14 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bret Saberhagen 2,562.2, John Smoltz 3,473.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 16.
Bret Saberhagen
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 | Bret Saberhagen | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 167 | Leads: 213 |
| Losses not scored | 117 | 155 |
| Games not scored | 399 | 723 |
| Games Started not scored | 371 | 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 76 | 53 |
| Shutouts | 16 | 16 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 1,715 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 471 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,452 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 218 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,562.2 | 3,473.0 |
| ERA | 3.34 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 6.02 | Leads: 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Bret Saberhagen 91,907 to 53,065 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,376 PIV per season to 3,317, across 21 seasons to 16. 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).
Bret Saberhagen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
John Smoltz leads 4 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, strikeouts, ERA, and strikeouts per nine. Bret Saberhagen leads 3: complete games, WHIP, and walks per nine. 1 is tied. 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 Bret Saberhagen and John Smoltz careers compare
The careers of Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) overlapped from 1988 to 2001, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Bret Saberhagen appeared in 399 games to John Smoltz's 723. Bret Saberhagen's edges on the table are complete games (76 to 53), WHIP (1.14 to 1.18), and walks per nine (1.65 to 2.62). By rate, Bret Saberhagen struck out 6.02 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62.
Bret Saberhagen vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bret Saberhagen or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Bret Saberhagen in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 1.14 to John Smoltz's 1.18.