Dave Righetti vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Righetti 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). Dave Righetti played 1979–1995 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
Dave Righetti (1979–1995) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dave Righetti finished with 82 wins and 1,112 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 Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Dave Righetti, with 82 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Dave Righetti, with 1,403.2 to Bruce Sutter's 1,042.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dave Righetti, with 2 to Bruce Sutter's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bruce Sutter, with 23,292 career Pitcher PIV to Dave Righetti's 20,202.
Dave Righetti
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 | Dave Righetti | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 82 | 68 |
| Losses not scored | 79 | 71 |
| Games | Leads: 718 | 661 |
| Games Started | Leads: 89 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 13 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Saves | 252 | Leads: 300 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,112 | 861 |
| Walks not scored | 591 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,287 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 95 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,403.2 | 1,042.0 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 7.44 |
| BB/9 | 3.79 | Leads: 2.67 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bruce Sutter leads Dave Righetti 23,292 to 20,202 — driven by per-season impact — 1,941 PIV per season to 1,188 — rather than by longevity, since Bruce Sutter played 12 seasons to Dave Righetti's 17. 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).
Dave Righetti — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bruce Sutter — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bruce Sutter leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dave Righetti owns wins, strikeouts, 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 Dave Righetti and Bruce Sutter careers compare
Dave Righetti and Bruce Sutter were active at the same time between 1979 and 1988. The two careers are close in length, 718 games for Dave Righetti and 661 for Bruce Sutter across 17 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.79 walks for Dave Righetti, 7.44 and 2.67 for Bruce Sutter. Dave Righetti worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 718 games, 252 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 Dave Righetti's 1.34.
Dave Righetti vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Righetti or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Righetti leads Bruce Sutter in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Dave Righetti, with 82 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.