Rollie Fingers vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Rollie Fingers has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985 as a pitcher; Bruce Sutter played 1976–1988 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
Rollie Fingers (1968–1985) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rollie Fingers compiled 114 wins and 1,299 strikeouts; Bruce Sutter put up 68 wins and 861 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Rollie Fingers's 2.90.
- Who won more games? Rollie Fingers, with 114 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rollie Fingers, with 1,299 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Rollie Fingers's 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Rollie Fingers, with 1,701 to Bruce Sutter's 1,042.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rollie Fingers, with 2 to Bruce Sutter's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rollie Fingers, with 33,082 career Pitcher PIV to Bruce Sutter's 23,292.
Rollie Fingers
Bruce Sutter
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 | Rollie Fingers | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 114 | 68 |
| Losses | 118 | 71 |
| Games | Leads: 944 | 661 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 341 | 300 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,299 | 861 |
| Walks | 492 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,474 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 123 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,701 | 1,042 |
| ERA | 2.90 | Leads: 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 6.87 | Leads: 7.44 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.60 | 2.67 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rollie Fingers outpaces Bruce Sutter 33,082 to 23,292 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,946 vs 1,941 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).
Rollie Fingers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bruce Sutter — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rollie Fingers leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Bruce Sutter owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rollie Fingers. PIV agrees: Rollie Fingers grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Rollie Fingers vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rollie Fingers or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rollie Fingers leads Bruce Sutter in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Rollie Fingers's 2.90.
- Who won more games?
- Rollie Fingers, with 114 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rollie Fingers, with 1,299 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Rollie Fingers's 1.16.