Paul Skenes vs Hilton Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Hilton Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Paul Skenes has played 2024–present as a pitcher; Hilton Smith played ?–1948 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
Paul Skenes (2024–present) and Hilton Smith (?–1948) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Hilton Smith finished with 71 wins and 628 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Hilton Smith's 2.93.
- Who won more games? Hilton Smith, with 71 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hilton Smith, with 628 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Hilton Smith's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Hilton Smith, with 975.1 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hilton Smith, with 8 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hilton Smith, with 37,558 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
Paul Skenes
Hilton 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Skenes is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Paul Skenes | Hilton Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 31 | Leads: 71 |
| Losses not scored | 24 | 38 |
| Games | 87 | Leads: 170 |
| Games Started | 87 | Leads: 104 |
| Complete Games | 1 | Leads: 63 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 8 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 16 |
| Strikeouts | 586 | Leads: 628 |
| Walks not scored | 123 | 198 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 376 | 883 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 41 | 19 |
| Innings Pitched | 495.0 | Leads: 975.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.62 | 2.93 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.01 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.65 | 5.79 |
| BB/9 | 2.24 | Leads: 1.83 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hilton Smith outpaces Paul Skenes 37,558 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Hilton Smith played 15 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 2,504). 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).
Paul Skenes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hilton Smith — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hilton Smith leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Paul Skenes owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hilton Smith. PIV agrees: Hilton Smith grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Paul Skenes and Hilton Smith careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Hilton Smith's ended in 1948, and Paul Skenes debuted in 2024. Hilton Smith has the far longer record, 170 games against 87 across 2 and 15 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Paul Skenes's edges on the table are ERA (2.62 to 2.93), WHIP (1.01 to 1.11), and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 5.79). By rate, Paul Skenes struck out 10.65 and walked 2.24 per nine innings; Hilton Smith struck out 5.79 and walked 1.83. Their roles differ: Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games); Hilton Smith split time between starting and relief (104 starts in 170 games). Because Paul Skenes is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Paul Skenes vs Hilton Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Skenes or Hilton Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hilton Smith leads Paul Skenes in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Hilton Smith's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- Hilton Smith, with 71 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hilton Smith, with 628 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Hilton Smith's 1.11.