Don Drysdale vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Don Sutton has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Don Drysdale compiled 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts; Don Sutton put up 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? 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Sutton, with 5,282 to Don Drysdale's 3,432.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to Don Drysdale's 49.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Don Sutton, with 63,310 career Pitcher PIV to Don Drysdale's 57,464.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Don Drysdale | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses | 166 | 256 |
| Games | 518 | Leads: 774 |
| Games Started | 465 | Leads: 756 |
| Complete Games | 167 | Leads: 178 |
| Shutouts | 49 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 2,486 | Leads: 3,574 |
| Walks | 855 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,084 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 280 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,432 | Leads: 5,282 |
| 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 gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,532 vs 4,105 per year). 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
On the head-to-head card, Don Sutton leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Don Drysdale owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
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 8 of 12 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.