John Smoltz vs Brandon Webb: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). John Smoltz played 1988–2009 as a pitcher; Brandon Webb played 2003–2009 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
John Smoltz (1988–2009) and Brandon Webb (2003–2009) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. John Smoltz finished with 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts; Brandon Webb finished with 87 wins and 1,065 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Brandon Webb, with 3.27 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Brandon Webb's 87.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Brandon Webb's 1,065.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Brandon Webb's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Brandon Webb's 1,319.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Brandon Webb's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Brandon Webb's 32,131.
John Smoltz
Brandon Webb
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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | John Smoltz | Brandon Webb |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 213 | 87 |
| Losses not scored | 155 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 723 | 199 |
| Games Started | Leads: 481 | 198 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 53 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 16 | 8 |
| Saves | Leads: 154 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,084 | 1,065 |
| Walks not scored | 1,010 | 435 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,074 | 1,200 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 288 | 92 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,473.0 | 1,319.2 |
| ERA | 3.33 | Leads: 3.27 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.99 | 7.26 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.62 | 2.97 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Brandon Webb 91,907 to 32,131 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John Smoltz played 22 seasons to Brandon Webb's 7, while Brandon Webb carries the higher per-season figure (4,590 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).
John Smoltz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Brandon Webb — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Smoltz leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Brandon Webb owns ERA. 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 John Smoltz and Brandon Webb careers compare
The careers of John Smoltz (1988–2009) and Brandon Webb (2003–2009) overlapped from 2003 to 2009, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 723 games of John Smoltz with 199 of Brandon Webb across 22 and 7 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Brandon Webb's edges on the table are ERA (3.27 to 3.33). By rate, John Smoltz struck out 7.99 and walked 2.62 per nine innings; Brandon Webb struck out 7.26 and walked 2.97. Their roles differ: John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games); Brandon Webb was mainly a starter (198 starts in 199 games).
John Smoltz vs Brandon Webb: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, John Smoltz or Brandon Webb?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Brandon Webb in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Brandon Webb, with 3.27 to John Smoltz's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Brandon Webb's 87.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Brandon Webb's 1,065.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Brandon Webb's 1.24.