Bert Blyleven vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Bert Blyleven and Don Sutton are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bert Blyleven played 1970–1992 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
Bert Blyleven (1970–1992) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 19 seasons. Bert Blyleven finished with 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts; Don Sutton finished with 324 wins and 3,574 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Don Sutton, with 3.26 to Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to Bert Blyleven's 287.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Don Sutton's 3,574.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Bert Blyleven's 1.20.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bert Blyleven 4,970.0, Don Sutton 5,282.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bert Blyleven, with 60 to Don Sutton's 58.
Bert Blyleven
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bert Blyleven | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 287 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 250 | 256 |
| Games not scored | 692 | 774 |
| Games Started not scored | 685 | 756 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 242 | 178 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 60 | 58 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,701 | 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 1,322 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,632 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 430 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,970.0 | 5,282.1 |
| ERA | 3.31 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.70 | 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bert Blyleven leads Don Sutton 74,910 to 63,310 — driven by per-season impact — 3,405 PIV per season to 2,753 — rather than by longevity, since Bert Blyleven played 22 seasons to Don Sutton's 23. 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).
Bert Blyleven — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Bert Blyleven and Don Sutton split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Bert Blyleven higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bert Blyleven and Don Sutton careers compare
From 1970 through 1988, Bert Blyleven and Don Sutton were in the majors together. With 692 games against 774 across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Don Sutton's edges on the table are wins (324 to 287), ERA (3.26 to 3.31), and WHIP (1.14 to 1.20). By rate, Bert Blyleven struck out 6.70 and walked 2.39 per nine innings; Don Sutton struck out 6.09 and walked 2.29. Both had the same role: Bert Blyleven was mainly a starter (685 starts in 692 games); Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games). Don Sutton allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.14 WHIP to Bert Blyleven's 1.20.
Bert Blyleven vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bert Blyleven or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Sutton, with 3.26 to Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to Bert Blyleven's 287.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Don Sutton's 3,574.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Bert Blyleven's 1.20.