John Smoltz Biography

John Smoltz, born on May 15, 1967, played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, spending all but his final year with the Atlanta Braves. Smoltz was a key member of Atlanta's starting rotation during the 1990s, contributing to the team's success that included a World Series title in 1995. Smoltz won the National League Cy Young Award in 1996 after recording 24 wins, the most by an NL pitcher since 1972. After recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2001, he transitioned to a reliever role and served as a closer for four seasons before returning to the starting rotation. He posted a 15–4 record with a 2.67 ERA in 41 postseason appearances, including two losses where he allowed only unearned runs. Smoltz led the National League in wins, winning percentage, strikeouts, and innings pitched twice each, finishing with 3,084 strikeouts, the fifth-highest total in league history. He left Atlanta after 2008 and split his final season between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals.