Tom Gordon vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Gordon played 1988–2009 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
Tom Gordon (1988–2009) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Gordon finished with 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts; Bruce Sutter finished with 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 Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108.0 to Bruce Sutter's 1,042.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Bruce Sutter's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Gordon, with 29,014 career Pitcher PIV to Bruce Sutter's 23,292.
Tom Gordon
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, and the 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Gordon | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 68 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 71 |
| Games | Leads: 890 | 661 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 158 | Leads: 300 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 861 |
| Walks not scored | 977 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,889 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 176 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108.0 | 1,042.0 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.23 | 7.44 |
| BB/9 | 4.17 | Leads: 2.67 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Gordon leads Bruce Sutter 29,014 to 23,292 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tom Gordon played 22 seasons to Bruce Sutter's 12, while Bruce Sutter carries the higher per-season figure (1,941 to 1,319). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Tom Gordon — 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, Tom Gordon leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Bruce Sutter owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Gordon. PIV agrees: Tom Gordon grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Gordon and Bruce Sutter careers compare
The careers of Tom Gordon (1988–2009) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) overlapped from 1988 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 890 games against 661 across 22 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Bruce Sutter comes out ahead, it is in saves (300 to 158), ERA (2.83 to 3.96), and WHIP (1.14 to 1.36). The per-nine rows read 8.23 strikeouts and 4.17 walks for Tom Gordon, 7.44 and 2.67 for Bruce Sutter. Tom Gordon split time between starting and relief (203 starts in 890 games), while Bruce Sutter worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 661 games, 300 saves).
Tom Gordon vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Gordon or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Bruce Sutter in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.