Tom Seaver vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver 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). Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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
Tom Seaver (1967–1986) and Don Sutton (1966–1988) — both debuted in the 1960s. Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 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? Tom Seaver, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Don Sutton, with 324 to Tom Seaver's 311.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Don Sutton's 3,574.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Don Sutton's 1.14.
- How many innings did each pitch? Tom Seaver 4,782.2, Don Sutton 5,282.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Don Sutton's 58.
Tom Seaver
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 | Tom Seaver | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 311 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 205 | 256 |
| Games not scored | 656 | 774 |
| Games Started not scored | 647 | 756 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 231 | 178 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 61 | 58 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,640 | 3,574 |
| Walks not scored | 1,390 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,971 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 380 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,782.2 | 5,282.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.85 | 6.09 |
| BB/9 | 2.62 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver leads Don Sutton 79,192 to 63,310 — driven by per-season impact — 3,960 PIV per season to 2,753 — rather than by longevity, since Tom Seaver played 20 seasons to Don Sutton's 23. 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).
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Tom Seaver leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Don Sutton leads 2: wins and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Seaver and Don Sutton careers compare
Tom Seaver and Don Sutton were active at the same time between 1967 and 1986. With 656 games against 774 across 20 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Don Sutton's edges on the table are wins (324 to 311) and walks per nine (2.29 to 2.62). By rate, Tom Seaver struck out 6.85 and walked 2.62 per nine innings; Don Sutton struck out 6.09 and walked 2.29. Both had the same role: Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games); Don Sutton was mainly a starter (756 starts in 774 games). In WHIP, Tom Seaver's 1.12 beats Don Sutton's 1.14.
Tom Seaver vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Seaver or Don Sutton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Don Sutton in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Don Sutton's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Don Sutton, with 324 to Tom Seaver's 311.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Don Sutton's 3,574.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Don Sutton's 1.14.