Mariano Rivera vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mariano Rivera played 1995–2013 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
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 finished with 82 wins and 1,173 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? Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Bruce Sutter's 2.83.
- Who won more games? Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Bruce Sutter's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Mariano Rivera, with 1,283.2 to Bruce Sutter's 1,042.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mariano Rivera, with 52,571 career Pitcher PIV to Bruce Sutter's 23,292.
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. 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, and the 1990s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mariano Rivera | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 82 | 68 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 71 |
| Games | Leads: 1,115 | 661 |
| Games Started | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 652 | 300 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,173 | 861 |
| Walks not scored | 286 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 998 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 71 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,283.2 | 1,042.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.21 | 2.83 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.22 | 7.44 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.01 | 2.67 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Bruce Sutter 52,571 to 23,292 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,767 PIV per season to 1,941, across 19 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).
Mariano Rivera
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Bruce Sutter — top 1 season 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.
Related Matchups
How the Mariano Rivera and Bruce Sutter careers compare
Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) was finished before Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) arrived, so they never shared a league. Mariano Rivera has the far longer record, 1,115 games against 661 across 19 and 12 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Every scored category on the table goes to Mariano Rivera. The per-nine rows read 8.22 strikeouts and 2.01 walks for Mariano Rivera, 7.44 and 2.67 for Bruce Sutter. Both had the same role: Mariano Rivera worked mostly in relief (10 starts in 1,115 games, 652 saves); Bruce Sutter worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 661 games, 300 saves). In WHIP, Mariano Rivera's 1.00 beats Bruce Sutter's 1.14.
Mariano Rivera vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mariano Rivera or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mariano Rivera leads Bruce Sutter in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Bruce Sutter's 2.83.
- Who won more games?
- Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Bruce Sutter's 1.14.