Pete Alexander vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Don Sutton played 1966–1988 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
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Don Sutton finished with 324 wins and 3,574 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Don Sutton's 324.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Don Sutton's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Sutton, with 5,282.1 to Pete Alexander's 5,190.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Don Sutton's 58.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Don Sutton's 63,310.
Pete Alexander
Don Sutton
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 1910s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 324 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 256 |
| Games | 696 | Leads: 774 |
| Games Started | 599 | Leads: 756 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 178 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 58 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,190.0 | Leads: 5,282.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 6.09 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.29 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander leads Don Sutton 75,743 to 63,310 — driven by per-season impact — 3,607 PIV per season to 2,532 — rather than by longevity, since Pete Alexander played 21 seasons to Don Sutton's 25. 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).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, and WHIP, while Don Sutton owns strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. PIV agrees: Pete Alexander grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Don Sutton careers compare
No season is shared: Pete Alexander played 1911–1930, Don Sutton 1966–1988. With 696 games against 774 across 21 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 6.09 and 2.29 for Don Sutton. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), and Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games). In WHIP, Pete Alexander's 1.12 beats Don Sutton's 1.14. Best seasons: 1915 for Pete Alexander (1.22 ERA, 31-10, 241 K in 376 IP) and 1972 for Don Sutton (2.08 ERA, 19-9, 207 K in 272 IP).
Pete Alexander vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Don Sutton in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Don Sutton's 324.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Don Sutton's 1.14.