Rick Reuschel vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Reuschel has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rick Reuschel played 1972–1991 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
Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rick Reuschel finished with 214 wins and 2,015 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 Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games? Rick Reuschel, with 214 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rick Reuschel, with 2,015 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Rick Reuschel, with 3,548.1 to Bruce Sutter's 1,042.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rick Reuschel, with 26 to Bruce Sutter's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rick Reuschel, with 52,650 career Pitcher PIV to Bruce Sutter's 23,292.
Rick Reuschel
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 | Rick Reuschel | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 214 | 68 |
| Losses not scored | 191 | 71 |
| Games | 557 | Leads: 661 |
| Games Started | Leads: 529 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 102 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 26 | 0 |
| Saves | 5 | Leads: 300 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,015 | 861 |
| Walks not scored | 935 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,588 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 221 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,548.1 | 1,042.0 |
| ERA | 3.37 | Leads: 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 5.11 | Leads: 7.44 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.37 | 2.67 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Reuschel outpaces Bruce Sutter 52,650 to 23,292 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,507 PIV per season to 1,941, across 21 seasons to 12. 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).
Rick Reuschel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bruce Sutter — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rick Reuschel leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Bruce Sutter owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Reuschel. PIV agrees: Rick Reuschel grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Reuschel and Bruce Sutter careers compare
Rick Reuschel and Bruce Sutter were active at the same time between 1976 and 1988. The two careers are close in length, 557 games for Rick Reuschel and 661 for Bruce Sutter across 21 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 5.11 strikeouts and 2.37 walks for Rick Reuschel, 7.44 and 2.67 for Bruce Sutter. Their roles differ: Rick Reuschel was mainly a starter (529 starts in 557 games); Bruce Sutter worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 661 games, 300 saves). The complete-game row, 102 against 0, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Bruce Sutter's 1.14 beats Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
Rick Reuschel vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Reuschel or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Reuschel leads Bruce Sutter in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games?
- Rick Reuschel, with 214 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rick Reuschel, with 2,015 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.