John Smoltz vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz (1988–2009) and Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. John Smoltz compiled 213 wins and 3,084 strikeouts; Zack Wheeler put up 113 wins and 1,820 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
John Smoltz
Zack Wheeler
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 | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 213 | 113 |
| Losses | 155 | 75 |
| Games | 723 | 283 |
| Games Started | 481 | 283 |
| Complete Games | 53 | 5 |
| Shutouts | 16 | 3 |
| Saves | 154 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,084 | 1,820 |
| Walks | 1,010 | 490 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,074 | 1,475 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 288 | 166 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,473 | 1,728 |
| ERA | 3.33 | 3.28 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 7.99 | 9.48 |
| BB/9 | 2.62 | 2.55 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Zack Wheeler 91,907 to 39,270 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,178 vs 3,570 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)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Smoltz leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Zack Wheeler owns ERA, WHIP, and 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.