Steve Carlton vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 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
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — both debuted in the 1960s. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 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? Steve Carlton, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Don Sutton's 324.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Don Sutton's 3,574.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Carlton 5,217.1, Don Sutton 5,282.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to Steve Carlton's 55.
Steve Carlton
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 | Steve Carlton | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 324 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 256 |
| Games not scored | 741 | 774 |
| Games Started not scored | 709 | 756 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 178 |
| Shutouts | 55 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,217.1 | 5,282.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton leads Don Sutton 76,502 to 63,310 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,188 PIV per season to 2,753, across 24 seasons to 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).
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Steve Carlton leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Don Sutton leads 3: shutouts, WHIP, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Don Sutton careers compare
From 1966 through 1988, Steve Carlton and Don Sutton were in the majors together. With 741 games against 774 across 24 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Don Sutton comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (58 to 55), WHIP (1.14 to 1.25), and walks per nine (2.29 to 3.16). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Don Sutton struck out 6.09 and walked 2.29. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games). In WHIP, Don Sutton's 1.14 beats Steve Carlton's 1.25.
Steve Carlton vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Don Sutton in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Don Sutton's 324.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Don Sutton's 3,574.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.