Tommy John vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Don Sutton has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tommy John played 1963–1989 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
Tommy John (1963–1989) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — both debuted in the 1960s. Tommy John finished with 288 wins and 2,245 strikeouts; Don Sutton finished with 324 wins and 3,574 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Don Sutton, in 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Don Sutton, with 3.26 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to Tommy John's 288.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Tommy John's 1.28.
- How many innings did each pitch? Tommy John 4,710.1, Don Sutton 5,282.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to Tommy John's 46.
Tommy John
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. 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 | Tommy John | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 288 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 231 | 256 |
| Games not scored | 760 | 774 |
| Games Started not scored | 700 | 756 |
| Complete Games | 162 | Leads: 178 |
| Shutouts | 46 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves not scored | 4 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 2,245 | Leads: 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 1,259 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,783 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 302 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,710.1 | 5,282.1 |
| ERA | 3.34 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 4.29 | Leads: 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 2.41 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Sutton outpaces Tommy John 63,310 to 39,802 — driven by per-season impact — 2,753 PIV per season to 1,531 — rather than by longevity, since Don Sutton played 23 seasons to Tommy John's 26. 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).
Tommy John — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Don Sutton leads 8 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Tommy John leads 0: no scored category. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Sutton. PIV agrees: Don Sutton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tommy John and Don Sutton careers compare
Tommy John and Don Sutton were active at the same time between 1966 and 1988. With 760 games against 774 across 26 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Don Sutton. The per-nine rows read 4.29 strikeouts and 2.41 walks for Tommy John, 6.09 and 2.29 for Don Sutton. Both had the same role: Tommy John was mainly a starter (700 starts in 760 games); Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games). In WHIP, Don Sutton's 1.14 beats Tommy John's 1.28.
Tommy John vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tommy John or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Sutton leads Tommy John in 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Sutton, with 3.26 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to Tommy John's 288.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Tommy John's 1.28.