Don Drysdale vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Don Sutton 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). Don Drysdale played 1956–1969 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
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they played in different run environments. Don Drysdale finished with 209 wins and 2,486 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? Don Sutton, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Don Drysdale's 2,486.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Don Drysdale's 1.15.
- How many innings did each pitch? Don Drysdale 3,432.0, Don Sutton 5,282.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to Don Drysdale's 49.
Don Drysdale
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, and the 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Don Drysdale | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 256 |
| Games not scored | 518 | 774 |
| Games Started not scored | 465 | 756 |
| Complete Games | 167 | Leads: 178 |
| Shutouts | 49 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves not scored | 6 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 2,486 | Leads: 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 855 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,084 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 280 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,432.0 | 5,282.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.52 | 6.09 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.24 | 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Sutton leads Don Drysdale 63,310 to 57,464 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Don Sutton played 23 seasons to Don Drysdale's 14, while Don Drysdale carries the higher per-season figure (4,105 to 2,753). 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).
Don Drysdale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Don Sutton leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Don Drysdale leads 3: ERA, strikeouts per nine, and walks per nine. They played in different eras, and these rows are not era-adjusted. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Sutton. PIV agrees: Don Sutton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Drysdale and Don Sutton careers compare
Don Drysdale and Don Sutton were active at the same time between 1966 and 1969. With 518 games against 774 across 14 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Don Drysdale comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.95 to 3.26), strikeouts per nine (6.52 to 6.09), and walks per nine (2.24 to 2.29). By rate, Don Drysdale struck out 6.52 and walked 2.24 per nine innings; Don Sutton struck out 6.09 and walked 2.29. Both had the same role: Don Drysdale was mainly a starter (465 starts in 518 games); Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games).
Don Drysdale vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Drysdale or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Sutton leads Don Drysdale in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Don Drysdale's 2,486.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Don Drysdale's 1.15.