Bob Gibson 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. Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 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
Bob Gibson (1959–1975) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Gibson compiled 251 wins and 3,117 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? Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Bob Gibson's 3,117.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Sutton, with 5,282 to Bob Gibson's 3,884.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to Bob Gibson's 56.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Don Sutton's 63,310.
Bob Gibson
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 | Bob Gibson | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 251 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses | 174 | 256 |
| Games | 528 | Leads: 774 |
| Games Started | 482 | Leads: 756 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 178 |
| Shutouts | 56 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 3,117 | Leads: 3,574 |
| Walks | 1,336 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,279 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 257 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,884 | Leads: 5,282 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.22 | 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson leads Don Sutton 69,720 to 63,310 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,101 vs 2,532 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).
Bob Gibson — 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 Bob Gibson owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Sutton. Note that PIV actually grades Bob Gibson ahead, which means Don Sutton's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Bob Gibson vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Sutton leads Bob Gibson in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Bob Gibson's 3,117.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.