John Smoltz vs Dontrelle Willis: Career Stats Comparison
John Smoltz has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Dontrelle Willis played 2003–2011 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 Dontrelle Willis (2003–2011) — 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; Dontrelle Willis finished with 72 wins and 896 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Dontrelle Willis's 4.17.
- Who won more games? John Smoltz, with 213 to Dontrelle Willis's 72.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Dontrelle Willis's 896.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Dontrelle Willis's 1.43.
- Who pitched more innings? John Smoltz, with 3,473.0 to Dontrelle Willis's 1,221.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Smoltz, with 16 to Dontrelle Willis's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Smoltz, with 91,907 career Pitcher PIV to Dontrelle Willis's 5,459.
John Smoltz
Dontrelle Willis
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 | Dontrelle Willis |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 213 | 72 |
| Losses not scored | 155 | 69 |
| Games | Leads: 723 | 205 |
| Games Started | Leads: 481 | 202 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 53 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 16 | 8 |
| Saves | Leads: 154 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,084 | 896 |
| Walks not scored | 1,010 | 500 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,074 | 1,251 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 288 | 114 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,473.0 | 1,221.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.33 | 4.17 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.43 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.99 | 6.60 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.62 | 3.68 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Smoltz outpaces Dontrelle Willis 91,907 to 5,459 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,178 PIV per season to 546, across 22 seasons to 10. 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)
Dontrelle Willis — 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 Dontrelle Willis 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.
Related Matchups
How the John Smoltz and Dontrelle Willis careers compare
John Smoltz and Dontrelle Willis were active at the same time between 2003 and 2009. John Smoltz has the far longer record, 723 games against 205 across 22 and 10 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Every scored category on the table goes to John Smoltz. The per-nine rows read 7.99 strikeouts and 2.62 walks for John Smoltz, 6.60 and 3.68 for Dontrelle Willis. John Smoltz split time between starting and relief (481 starts in 723 games), while Dontrelle Willis was mainly a starter (202 starts in 205 games). The complete-game row, 53 against 15, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
John Smoltz vs Dontrelle Willis: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, John Smoltz or Dontrelle Willis?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Smoltz leads Dontrelle Willis in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Smoltz, with 3.33 to Dontrelle Willis's 4.17.
- Who won more games?
- John Smoltz, with 213 to Dontrelle Willis's 72.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Smoltz, with 3,084 to Dontrelle Willis's 896.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Smoltz, with 1.18 to Dontrelle Willis's 1.43.