Gary Lavelle vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Bruce Sutter has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Gary Lavelle played 1974–1987 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
Gary Lavelle (1974–1987) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Gary Lavelle finished with 80 wins and 769 strikeouts; Bruce Sutter finished with 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 Gary Lavelle's 2.93.
- Who won more games? Gary Lavelle, with 80 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bruce Sutter, with 861 to Gary Lavelle's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Gary Lavelle's 1.33.
- Who pitched more innings? Gary Lavelle, with 1,085.0 to Bruce Sutter's 1,042.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bruce Sutter, with 23,292 career Pitcher PIV to Gary Lavelle's 18,454.
Gary Lavelle
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. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gary Lavelle | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 80 | 68 |
| Losses not scored | 77 | 71 |
| Games | Leads: 745 | 661 |
| Games Started | Leads: 3 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 136 | Leads: 300 |
| Strikeouts | 769 | Leads: 861 |
| Walks not scored | 440 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,004 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,085.0 | 1,042.0 |
| ERA | 2.93 | Leads: 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.33 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 6.38 | Leads: 7.44 |
| BB/9 | 3.65 | Leads: 2.67 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bruce Sutter leads Gary Lavelle 23,292 to 18,454 — driven by per-season impact — 1,941 PIV per season to 1,318 — rather than by longevity, since Bruce Sutter played 12 seasons to Gary Lavelle's 14. 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).
Gary Lavelle
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Bruce Sutter — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bruce Sutter leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Gary Lavelle owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bruce Sutter. PIV agrees: Bruce Sutter grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gary Lavelle and Bruce Sutter careers compare
Gary Lavelle and Bruce Sutter were active at the same time between 1976 and 1987. With 745 games against 661 across 14 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Gary Lavelle are wins (80 to 68), games (745 to 661), and starts (3 to 0). The per-nine rows read 6.38 strikeouts and 3.65 walks for Gary Lavelle, 7.44 and 2.67 for Bruce Sutter. Gary Lavelle worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 745 games, 136 saves), and Bruce Sutter worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 661 games, 300 saves). Bruce Sutter allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.14 WHIP to Gary Lavelle's 1.33.
Gary Lavelle vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Lavelle or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bruce Sutter leads Gary Lavelle in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Gary Lavelle's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- Gary Lavelle, with 80 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bruce Sutter, with 861 to Gary Lavelle's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Gary Lavelle's 1.33.