Paul Skenes vs John Smoltz: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; 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
Paul Skenes (2024–present) and John Smoltz (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 2020s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 6, 2026; John Smoltz finished with 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? Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to John Smoltz's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
Paul Skenes
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. 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 2020s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Skenes is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Paul Skenes | John Smoltz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 31 | Leads: 213 |
| Losses not scored | 24 | 155 |
| Games | 87 | Leads: 723 |
| Games Started | 87 | Leads: 481 |
| Complete Games | 1 | Leads: 53 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 154 |
| Strikeouts | 586 | Leads: 3,084 |
| Walks not scored | 123 | 1,010 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 376 | 3,074 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 41 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 495.0 | Leads: 3,473.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.62 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.01 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.65 | 7.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.24 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Paul Skenes 91,907 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John Smoltz played 22 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 4,178). 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)
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Smoltz 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 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 Paul Skenes and John Smoltz careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: John Smoltz's ended in 2009, and Paul Skenes debuted in 2024. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Paul Skenes has appeared in 87 games to John Smoltz's 723. The green cells for Paul Skenes are ERA (2.62 to 3.33), WHIP (1.01 to 1.18), and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 7.99). By rate, Paul Skenes struck out 10.65 and walked 2.24 per nine innings; John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62. Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games), while John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games). Because Paul Skenes is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Paul Skenes vs John Smoltz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Skenes or John Smoltz?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Paul Skenes in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to John Smoltz's 1.18.