Curt Schilling vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
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.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Curt Schilling | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 216 | 213 |
| Losses | 146 | 155 |
| Games | 569 | 723 |
| Games Started | 436 | 481 |
| Complete Games | 83 | 53 |
| Shutouts | 20 | 16 |
| Saves | 22 | 154 |
| Strikeouts | 3,116 | 3,084 |
| Walks | 711 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,998 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 347 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,261 | 3,473 |
| ERA | 3.46 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 8.60 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | 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.