Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael Griffin
I couldn’t do slideshows about great Braves pitchers of the 1990s and 2000s without mentioning John Smoltz, who was the third part of the three-headed monster that included Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. He joined his teammates in Cooperstown. Here are 10 instances that prove he was worthy of his plaque in the Hall of Fame. Tigers fans and Doyle Alexander might want to look away.
Don't lose this article. Enter your email below, and I'll send it to you right now. Plus, we'll send you other unbelievable stories from baseball's past.
That 1996 Cy Young Season When He Made Hitters Look Like Little Leaguers
While his 24 wins and 276 strikeouts were career bests, his 2.94 ERA was second only to the 2.85 ERA he posted four years prior. Smoltz made a lot of great hitters look bad. His reward for the outstanding year he had was his joining teammates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine as Braves pitchers to win the Cy Young Award in the 1990s.
The Closer Era That Had Braves Fans Forgetting About Dennis Eckersley
When shoulder surgery forced him into the closer role from 2001-2004, Smoltz didn’t just adapt—he dominated with 154 saves. He could have stayed with this as a second act, but he was a starter at heart and returned to the rotation. There’s going to be more about that in a bit. Hang tight and keep reading.
Starting Game 7 of the 1991 World Series Like It Was Just Another Tuesday
Pressure? What pressure? John Smoltz took the mound in a raucous Metrodome and threw 7.1 scoreless innings. Unfortunately for him, Jack Morris was equally intent on pitching well, going the entire 10 innings. Smoltz could hold his head up, though. The Detroit native (where Morris had excelled for many seasons) had every reason to be confident about the upcoming seasons.
The Slider That Made Great Hitters Whiff
The thing about Smoltz was that he had such an easy-looking pitching motion. It looked like he was expending no effort, but his fastball could explode on hitters … and his slider proved to be a nightmare for them. That’s why he was able to have several seasons of 200+ strikeouts.
Coming Back From Tommy John Surgery to Win 14 Games at Age 38
Told you I was going to talk about Smoltz’s return to the starting staff. The right-hander showed no rust in stretching out his time on the mound after being confined to an inning per outing as a closer. He turned in a great effort in 2005, posting a 14-7 record with a 3.06 ERA. This was proof that no matter what role he had, Smoltz was going to give you great results.
That Perfect Game Bid Against the Padres That Had Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Holding Its Breath
On June 23, 1992, against San Diego, Smoltz was unhittable, retiring the first 23 batters he faced with the crowd at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on its feet. Then, with two outs in the eighth inning, Tony Gwynn, perhaps unsurprisingly given his hitting prowess, broke up the perfection with a double. Smoltz shouldn’t have felt bad — Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux didn’t have any no-hitters in their career, either.
The 2006 Season Was Special, Too
You thought that Smoltz was impressive when winning 14 games at age 38, when most pitchers are thinking about retirement homes and fishing trips? He followed that with a league-leading 16 games the next year. Take that, Father Time.
He Held His Own On the Mound
He might not have won any Gold Gloves in his career (thanks, Greg Maddux), but he could field his position well. He was an athlete in every sense of the word. Save for a horrible 1989 with seven errors, hitters couldn’t depend on his giving them any extra outs, since he never had more than three after that.
The Postseason Clutch Gene That Activated Every October
With a 15-4 postseason record and a 2.67 ERA over 41 playoff appearances, Smoltz was basically immune to any pressure. He knew what he was capable of and consistently executed it. The right-hander almost always kept the Braves in whatever game he pitched.
Smoltz Never Cracked
Catchers had to feel confident with Smoltz on the mound. They knew he was someone who exuded quiet calm, even if hitters got on base. As a result, they were assured that he would hit whatever spot they put the glove. He rebounded well after an early spate of wild pitches in his first three seasons. After those initial years, his wild pitch totals decreased significantly, with many subsequent seasons in single digits. That made his catchers’ lives easier.