Rich Gossage vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage and Bruce Sutter are close to even, splitting the 6 scored categories on this page 3–3 (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 1970s. Rich Gossage finished with 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts; Bruce Sutter finished with 68 wins and 861 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 6 scored categories 3–3.
- Who had more saves? Rich Gossage, with 310 to Bruce Sutter's 300.
- Who had the better ERA? Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- 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 struck out more batters per nine innings? Rich Gossage, with 7.47 to Bruce Sutter's 7.44.
- 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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rich Gossage | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 124 | 68 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 71 |
| Games not scored | 1,002 | 661 |
| Games Started not scored | 37 | 0 |
| Complete Games not scored | 16 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 310 | 300 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 861 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,809.1 | 1,042.0 |
| 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 longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rich Gossage played 22 seasons to Bruce Sutter's 12, while Bruce Sutter carries the higher per-season figure (1,941 to 1,280). 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 (40+ innings).
Rich Gossage — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bruce Sutter — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Rich Gossage and Bruce Sutter split the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card 3-3. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Rich Gossage higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rich Gossage and Bruce Sutter careers compare
Rich Gossage and Bruce Sutter were active at the same time between 1976 and 1988. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Rich Gossage appeared in 1,002 games to Bruce Sutter's 661. The green cells for Bruce Sutter are ERA (2.83 to 3.01), WHIP (1.14 to 1.23), and walks per nine (2.67 to 3.64). By rate, Rich Gossage struck out 7.47 and walked 3.64 per nine innings; Bruce Sutter struck out 7.44 and walked 2.67. Rich Gossage worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 1,002 games, 310 saves), and Bruce Sutter worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 661 games, 300 saves).
Rich Gossage vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 6 scored categories 3–3.
- Who had more saves?
- Rich Gossage, with 310 to Bruce Sutter's 300.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- 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.