Dennis Eckersley vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter played different roles, so their careers are compared side by side rather than scored against each other. Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 as a starting pitcher; Bruce Sutter played 1976–1988 as a relief 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
Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) held different pitching jobs, so this page does not score them category by category. Dennis Eckersley worked mainly as a starter, with 361 starts and 197 wins; Bruce Sutter worked mainly in relief, with 661 games and 300 saves. Each career is shown below in its own role, with Pitcher PIV as the comparison.
Quick answer
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Bruce Sutter's 23,292.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Dennis Eckersley
Bruce Sutter
Career Stats, Each in His Own Role
Dennis Eckersley is shown as a starter and Bruce Sutter as a reliever. Nothing is marked as a category winner, because a starter's totals and a reliever's totals measure different jobs.
Dennis Eckersley — Starting Pitcher
| Statistic | Dennis Eckersley |
|---|---|
| Wins | 197 |
| Losses | 171 |
| Games | 1,071 |
| Games Started | 361 |
| Complete Games | 100 |
| Shutouts | 20 |
| Saves | 390 |
| Strikeouts | 2,401 |
| Walks | 738 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,076 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,285.2 |
| ERA | 3.50 |
| WHIP | 1.16 |
| K/9 | 6.58 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 |
Bruce Sutter — Relief Pitcher
| Statistic | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|
| Wins | 68 |
| Losses | 71 |
| Games | 661 |
| Games Started | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 |
| Saves | 300 |
| Strikeouts | 861 |
| Walks | 309 |
| Hits Allowed | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,042.0 |
| ERA | 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 7.44 |
| BB/9 | 2.67 |
PIV Comparison
Dennis Eckersley carries a career Pitcher PIV of 41,139; Bruce Sutter carries a career Pitcher PIV of 23,292. Dennis Eckersley is the higher of the two at 41,139 to 23,292. Pitcher PIV scores each season against that season's league and weights it by workload, so a starter's innings add to his total.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings for a starter, 40+ for a reliever).
Dennis Eckersley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bruce Sutter — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
There is no head-to-head scoreboard for Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter: one worked mainly as a starter and the other mainly in relief. On Pitcher PIV, Dennis Eckersley is higher, 41,139 to 23,292. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter careers compare
From 1976 through 1988, Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter were in the majors together. Dennis Eckersley's pitching card shows 197 wins, a 3.50 ERA and 2,401 strikeouts. Bruce Sutter's pitching card shows 68 wins, a 2.83 ERA and 861 strikeouts. One worked mainly as a starter and the other mainly in relief, so the page keeps their statistics in separate tables and compares them on Pitcher PIV. Best seasons: 1975 for Dennis Eckersley (2.60 ERA, 13-7, 152 K in 186 IP) and 1977 for Bruce Sutter (1.34 ERA, 7-3, 31 SV, 129 K in 107 IP).
Dennis Eckersley vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Bruce Sutter's 23,292.
- Who won more championships?
- Both — each won 1 World Series title.
- How do Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter compare?
- Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 and Bruce Sutter played 1976–1988; this page sets their career totals side by side in every category both accumulated.