Lee Smith vs Devin Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lee Smith played 1980–1997 as a pitcher; Devin Williams has played 2019–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
Lee Smith (1980–1997) and Devin Williams (2019–present) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lee Smith finished with 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts; Devin Williams has 34 wins and 517 strikeouts through October 6, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Devin Williams, with 2.69 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Lee Smith, with 71 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP? Devin Williams, with 1.11 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289.1 to Devin Williams's 338.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lee Smith, with 33,335 career Pitcher PIV to Devin Williams's 13,215.
Lee Smith
Devin Williams
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 1980s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Devin Williams is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Lee Smith | Devin Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 71 | 34 |
| Losses not scored | 92 | 18 |
| Games | Leads: 1,022 | 352 |
| Games Started | Leads: 6 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 478 | 102 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,251 | 517 |
| Walks not scored | 486 | 158 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,133 | 217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 89 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,289.1 | 338.1 |
| ERA | 3.03 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 8.73 | Leads: 13.75 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.39 | 4.20 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith outpaces Devin Williams 33,335 to 13,215 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Lee Smith played 21 seasons to Devin Williams's 7, while Devin Williams carries the higher per-season figure (1,888 to 1,587). 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).
Lee Smith
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Devin Williams
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lee Smith leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Devin Williams owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lee Smith. PIV agrees: Lee Smith grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lee Smith and Devin Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Lee Smith played 1980–1997, Devin Williams 2019–present. Lee Smith has the far longer record, 1,022 games against 352 across 21 and 7 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Devin Williams comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.69 to 3.03), WHIP (1.11 to 1.26), and strikeouts per nine (13.75 to 8.73). By rate, Lee Smith struck out 8.73 and walked 3.39 per nine innings; Devin Williams struck out 13.75 and walked 4.20. Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves), and Devin Williams worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 352 games, 102 saves). Because Devin Williams is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Lee Smith vs Devin Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lee Smith or Devin Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee Smith leads Devin Williams in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Devin Williams, with 2.69 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Lee Smith, with 71 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Devin Williams, with 1.11 to Lee Smith's 1.26.