Curt Schilling vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
Curt Schilling has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 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
Curt Schilling (1988–2007) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Curt Schilling compiled 216 wins and 3,116 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 Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Curt Schilling, with 216 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP? Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473 to Curt Schilling's 3,261.
- Who threw more shutouts? Curt Schilling, with 20 to John Smoltz's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to John Smoltz's 91,907.
Curt Schilling
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 | Curt Schilling | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 216 | 213 |
| Losses | 146 | 155 |
| Games | 569 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | 436 | Leads: 481 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 83 | 53 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 16 |
| Saves | 22 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,116 | 3,084 |
| Walks | 711 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,998 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 347 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,261 | Leads: 3,473 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.60 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.96 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling edges John Smoltz 98,246 to 91,907 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,678 vs 4,178 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).
Curt Schilling — 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, Curt Schilling leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while John Smoltz owns ERA and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Curt Schilling. PIV agrees: Curt Schilling grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Curt Schilling vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Curt Schilling or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Curt Schilling leads John Smoltz in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Curt Schilling, with 216 to John Smoltz's 213.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to John Smoltz's 3,084.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to John Smoltz's 1.18.