John Smoltz vs Javier Vazquez: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz (1988–2009) and Javier Vazquez (1998–2011) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. John Smoltz compiled 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts; Javier Vazquez put up 165 wins and 2,536 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
John Smoltz
Javier Vazquez
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 | Javier Vazquez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 213 | 165 |
| Losses | 155 | 160 |
| Games | 723 | 450 |
| Games Started | 481 | 443 |
| Complete Games | 53 | 28 |
| Shutouts | 16 | 8 |
| Saves | 154 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,084 | 2,536 |
| Walks | 1,010 | 763 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,074 | 2,784 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 288 | 373 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,473 | 2,840 |
| ERA | 3.33 | 4.22 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 7.99 | 8.04 |
| BB/9 | 2.62 | 2.42 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Javier Vazquez 91,907 to 36,249 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,178 vs 2,589 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)
Javier Vazquez — 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 Javier Vazquez owns 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.