Hilton Smith vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Hilton Smith and Blake Snell are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Hilton Smith played ?–1948 as a pitcher; Blake Snell has played 2016–present 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
Hilton Smith (?–1948) and Blake Snell (2016–present) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Hilton Smith finished with 71 wins and 628 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hilton Smith, with 2.93 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games? Blake Snell, with 85 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Blake Snell, with 1,495 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Blake Snell, with 1,200.2 to Hilton Smith's 975.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hilton Smith, with 8 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hilton Smith, with 37,558 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Hilton Smith
Blake Snell
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.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Hilton Smith | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | Leads: 85 |
| Losses not scored | 38 | 63 |
| Games | 170 | Leads: 231 |
| Games Started | 104 | Leads: 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 63 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 8 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 628 | Leads: 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 198 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 883 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 19 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | 975.1 | Leads: 1,200.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.93 | 3.10 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.83 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hilton Smith outpaces Blake Snell 37,558 to 27,494 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Hilton Smith played 15 seasons to Blake Snell's 10, while Blake Snell carries the higher per-season figure (2,749 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).
Hilton Smith — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Blake Snell leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Hilton Smith owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Blake Snell. Note that PIV actually grades Hilton Smith ahead, which means Blake Snell's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hilton Smith and Blake Snell careers compare
Hilton Smith (?–1948) was finished before Blake Snell (2016–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 170 games for Hilton Smith and 231 for Blake Snell across 15 and 10 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Hilton Smith struck out 5.79 and walked 1.83 per nine innings; Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03. Their roles differ: Hilton Smith split time between starting and relief (104 starts in 170 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Complete games (63 to 1) show how differently the two eras used starters. Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Hilton Smith vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hilton Smith, with 2.93 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games?
- Blake Snell, with 85 to Hilton Smith's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Blake Snell, with 1,495 to Hilton Smith's 628.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hilton Smith, with 1.11 to Blake Snell's 1.22.