John Smoltz vs Fernando Valenzuela: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz (1988–2009) and Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. John Smoltz compiled 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts; Fernando Valenzuela put up 173 wins and 2,074 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
John Smoltz
Fernando Valenzuela
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 | John Smoltz | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 213 | 173 |
| Losses | 155 | 153 |
| Games | 723 | 453 |
| Games Started | 481 | 424 |
| Complete Games | 53 | 113 |
| Shutouts | 16 | 31 |
| Saves | 154 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 3,084 | 2,074 |
| Walks | 1,010 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,074 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 288 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,473 | 2,930 |
| ERA | 3.33 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 7.99 | 6.37 |
| BB/9 | 2.62 | 3.54 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Fernando Valenzuela 91,907 to 30,102 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,178 vs 1,672 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).
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Fernando Valenzuela — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Smoltz leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Fernando Valenzuela owns no headline categories. 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.