Randy Johnson vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Don Sutton has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 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
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 finished with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts; Don Sutton finished with 324 wins and 3,574 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Don Sutton, with 3.26 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Don Sutton's 3,574.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Randy Johnson's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Sutton, with 5,282.1 to Randy Johnson's 4,135.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to Randy Johnson's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Randy Johnson, with 122,530 career Pitcher PIV to Don Sutton's 63,310.
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. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Randy Johnson | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 303 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 256 |
| Games | 618 | Leads: 774 |
| Games Started | 603 | Leads: 756 |
| Complete Games | 100 | Leads: 178 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,875 | 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 1,497 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,346 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 411 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,135.1 | Leads: 5,282.1 |
| ERA | 3.29 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.61 | 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 3.26 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson outpaces Don Sutton 122,530 to 63,310 — driven by per-season impact — 5,105 PIV per season to 2,532 — rather than by longevity, since Randy Johnson played 24 seasons to Don Sutton's 25. 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).
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.
Related Matchups
How the Randy Johnson and Don Sutton careers compare
From 1988 through 1988, Randy Johnson and Don Sutton were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 618 games for Randy Johnson and 774 for Don Sutton across 24 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Randy Johnson are strikeouts (4,875 to 3,574) and strikeouts per nine (10.61 to 6.09). By rate, Randy Johnson struck out 10.61 and walked 3.26 per nine innings; Don Sutton struck out 6.09 and walked 2.29. Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games), and Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games).
Randy Johnson vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Randy Johnson or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Sutton leads Randy Johnson in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Sutton, with 3.26 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Don Sutton's 3,574.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Randy Johnson's 1.17.