Steve Rogers vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Don Sutton has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Rogers played 1973–1985 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
Steve Rogers (1973–1985) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 13 seasons. Steve Rogers finished with 158 wins and 1,621 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 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Rogers, with 3.17 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to Steve Rogers's 158.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Steve Rogers's 1,621.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Steve Rogers's 1.23.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Rogers 2,837.2, Don Sutton 5,282.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Sutton, with 58 to Steve Rogers's 37.
Steve Rogers
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 | Steve Rogers | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 158 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 256 |
| Games not scored | 399 | 774 |
| Games Started not scored | 393 | 756 |
| Complete Games | 129 | Leads: 178 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 58 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,621 | Leads: 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 876 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,619 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 151 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,837.2 | 5,282.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.17 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 5.14 | Leads: 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 2.78 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Sutton outpaces Steve Rogers 63,310 to 44,265 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Don Sutton played 23 seasons to Steve Rogers's 13, while Steve Rogers carries the higher per-season figure (3,405 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).
Steve Rogers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Don Sutton leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Steve Rogers leads 1: ERA. 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 Steve Rogers and Don Sutton careers compare
Steve Rogers and Don Sutton were active at the same time between 1973 and 1985. Don Sutton has the far longer record, 774 games against 399 across 13 and 23 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Steve Rogers's edges on the table are ERA (3.17 to 3.26). By rate, Steve Rogers struck out 5.14 and walked 2.78 per nine innings; Don Sutton struck out 6.09 and walked 2.29. Both had the same role: Steve Rogers was mainly a starter (393 starts in 399 games); Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games). In WHIP, Don Sutton's 1.14 beats Steve Rogers's 1.23.
Steve Rogers vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Rogers or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Sutton leads Steve Rogers in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Rogers, with 3.17 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to Steve Rogers's 158.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Sutton, with 3,574 to Steve Rogers's 1,621.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Sutton, with 1.14 to Steve Rogers's 1.23.