J. R. Richard vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Don Sutton has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). J. R. Richard played 1971–1980 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
J. R. Richard (1971–1980) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 10 seasons. J. R. Richard finished with 107 wins and 1,493 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 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? J. R. Richard, with 3.15 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Sutton, with 3,574 to J. R. Richard's 1,493.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to J. R. Richard's 1.24.
- How many innings did each pitch? J. R. Richard 1,606.0, Don Sutton 5,282.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to J. R. Richard's 19.
J. R. Richard
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 | J. R. Richard | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 71 | 256 |
| Games not scored | 238 | 774 |
| Games Started not scored | 221 | 756 |
| Complete Games | 76 | Leads: 178 |
| Shutouts | 19 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,493 | Leads: 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 770 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,227 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 73 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,606.0 | 5,282.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.15 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.37 | 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 4.32 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Sutton outpaces J. R. Richard 63,310 to 38,918 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Don Sutton played 23 seasons to J. R. Richard's 10, while J. R. Richard carries the higher per-season figure (3,892 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).
J. R. Richard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Don Sutton leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. J. R. Richard leads 2: ERA and strikeouts per nine. 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 J. R. Richard and Don Sutton careers compare
J. R. Richard and Don Sutton were active at the same time between 1971 and 1980. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: J. R. Richard appeared in 238 games to Don Sutton's 774. Where J. R. Richard comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.15 to 3.26) and strikeouts per nine (8.37 to 6.09). The per-nine rows read 8.37 strikeouts and 4.32 walks for J. R. Richard, 6.09 and 2.29 for Don Sutton. J. R. Richard was mainly a starter (221 starts in 238 games), and Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games).
J. R. Richard vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, J. R. Richard or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Sutton leads J. R. Richard in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- J. R. Richard, with 3.15 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Sutton, with 3,574 to J. R. Richard's 1,493.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to J. R. Richard's 1.24.