Rich Gossage vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Rich Gossage played 1972–1994 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
Rich Gossage (1972–1994) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rich Gossage compiled 124 wins and 1,502 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 Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809 to Bruce Sutter's 1,042.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rich Gossage, with 28,157 career Pitcher PIV to Bruce Sutter's 23,292.
Rich Gossage
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 | Rich Gossage | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 124 | 68 |
| Losses | 107 | 71 |
| Games | Leads: 1,002 | 661 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 310 | 300 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 861 |
| Walks | 732 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,497 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 119 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,809 | 1,042 |
| ERA | 3.01 | Leads: 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.47 | 7.44 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 2.67 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rich Gossage leads Bruce Sutter 28,157 to 23,292 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,224 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).
Rich Gossage — 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, Rich Gossage 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 Rich Gossage. PIV agrees: Rich Gossage grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Rich Gossage vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Bruce Sutter in 8 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.