Tom Seaver vs Don Sutton: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver and Don Sutton are close to even, splitting the 12 statistical categories compared on this page 6–6. 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 came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tom Seaver compiled 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts; Don Sutton put up 324 wins and 3,574 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Sutton, with 5,282 to Tom Seaver's 4,782.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Don Sutton's 58.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Seaver, with 79,192 career Pitcher PIV to Don Sutton's 63,310.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Tom Seaver | Don Sutton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 311 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses | 205 | 256 |
| Games | 656 | Leads: 774 |
| Games Started | 647 | Leads: 756 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 231 | 178 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 61 | 58 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,640 | 3,574 |
| Walks | 1,390 | 1,343 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,971 | 4,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 380 | 472 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,782 | Leads: 5,282 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,600 vs 2,532 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).
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Don Sutton owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
Tom Seaver vs Don Sutton: Frequently Asked Questions
- 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.