Mariano Rivera vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mariano Rivera compiled 82 wins and 1,173 strikeouts; Bruce Sutter put up 68 wins and 861 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Mariano Rivera
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Mariano Rivera | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 82 | 68 |
| Losses | 60 | 71 |
| Games | 1,115 | 661 |
| Games Started | 10 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 652 | 300 |
| Strikeouts | 1,173 | 861 |
| Walks | 286 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed | 998 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 71 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,283 | 1,042 |
| ERA | 2.21 | 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.00 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 8.22 | 7.44 |
| BB/9 | 2.01 | 2.67 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Bruce Sutter 52,571 to 23,292 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,767 vs 1,941 per year). 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).
Mariano Rivera — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bruce Sutter — top 1 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mariano Rivera leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bruce Sutter owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mariano Rivera. PIV agrees: Mariano Rivera grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.