Rick Reuschel vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Don Sutton has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rick Reuschel played 1972–1991 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
Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 17 seasons. Rick Reuschel finished with 214 wins and 2,015 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 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Don Sutton, with 3.26 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
- How many innings did each pitch? Rick Reuschel 3,548.1, Don Sutton 5,282.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to Rick Reuschel's 26.
Rick Reuschel
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 | Rick Reuschel | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 214 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 191 | 256 |
| Games not scored | 557 | 774 |
| Games Started not scored | 529 | 756 |
| Complete Games | 102 | Leads: 178 |
| Shutouts | 26 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves not scored | 5 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 2,015 | Leads: 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 935 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,588 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 221 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,548.1 | 5,282.1 |
| ERA | 3.37 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 5.11 | Leads: 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 2.37 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Sutton leads Rick Reuschel 63,310 to 52,650 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Don Sutton played 23 seasons to Rick Reuschel's 19, while Rick Reuschel carries the higher per-season figure (2,771 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).
Rick Reuschel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Don Sutton leads 8 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Rick Reuschel leads 0: no scored category. 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 Rick Reuschel and Don Sutton careers compare
From 1972 through 1988, Rick Reuschel and Don Sutton were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 557 games for Rick Reuschel and 774 for Don Sutton across 19 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Don Sutton leads every scored row of the table. By rate, Rick Reuschel struck out 5.11 and walked 2.37 per nine innings; Don Sutton struck out 6.09 and walked 2.29. Rick Reuschel was mainly a starter (529 starts in 557 games), and Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games). Don Sutton allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.14 WHIP to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
Rick Reuschel vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Reuschel or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Sutton leads Rick Reuschel in 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Sutton, with 3.26 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.