Jon Matlack vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Don Sutton has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jon Matlack played 1971–1983 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
Jon Matlack (1971–1983) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 13 seasons. Jon Matlack finished with 125 wins and 1,516 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 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Jon Matlack, with 3.18 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to Jon Matlack's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Jon Matlack's 1,516.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Jon Matlack's 1.23.
- How many innings did each pitch? Jon Matlack 2,363.0, Don Sutton 5,282.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to Jon Matlack's 30.
Jon Matlack
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 | Jon Matlack | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 125 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 256 |
| Games not scored | 361 | 774 |
| Games Started not scored | 318 | 756 |
| Complete Games | 97 | Leads: 178 |
| Shutouts | 30 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves not scored | 3 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,516 | Leads: 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 638 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,276 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 161 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,363.0 | 5,282.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.18 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 5.77 | Leads: 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 2.43 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Sutton outpaces Jon Matlack 63,310 to 38,811 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Don Sutton played 23 seasons to Jon Matlack's 13, while Jon Matlack carries the higher per-season figure (2,985 to 2,753). 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).
Jon Matlack — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Don Sutton leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Jon Matlack leads 1: ERA. 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 Jon Matlack and Don Sutton careers compare
Jon Matlack and Don Sutton were active at the same time between 1971 and 1983. The table compares 361 games of Jon Matlack with 774 of Don Sutton across 13 and 23 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Jon Matlack comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.18 to 3.26). By rate, Jon Matlack struck out 5.77 and walked 2.43 per nine innings; Don Sutton struck out 6.09 and walked 2.29. Jon Matlack was mainly a starter (318 starts in 361 games), and Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games). Don Sutton allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.14 WHIP to Jon Matlack's 1.23.
Jon Matlack vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jon Matlack or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Sutton leads Jon Matlack in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jon Matlack, with 3.18 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to Jon Matlack's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Jon Matlack's 1,516.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Jon Matlack's 1.23.