Randy Johnson vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Randy Johnson (1988–2009) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Randy Johnson compiled 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts; Don Sutton put up 324 wins and 3,574 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Randy Johnson
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Randy Johnson | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 303 | 324 |
| Losses | 166 | 256 |
| Games | 618 | 774 |
| Games Started | 603 | 756 |
| Complete Games | 100 | 178 |
| Shutouts | 37 | 58 |
| Saves | 2 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 4,875 | 3,574 |
| Walks | 1,497 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,346 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 411 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,135 | 5,282 |
| ERA | 3.29 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 10.61 | 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 3.26 | 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson outpaces Don Sutton 122,530 to 63,310 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,105 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).
Randy Johnson — 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, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Randy Johnson owns strikeouts 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 Randy Johnson ahead, which means Don Sutton's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.