Lee Smith vs Bruce Sutter: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter are close to even, splitting the 6 scored categories on this page 3–3 (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lee Smith played 1980–1997 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
Lee Smith (1980–1997) and Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) — they debuted in the 1980s and the 1970s respectively and share 9 seasons. Lee Smith finished with 71 wins and 1,251 strikeouts; Bruce Sutter finished with 68 wins and 861 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 6 scored categories 3–3.
- Who had more saves? Lee Smith, with 478 to Bruce Sutter's 300.
- Who had the better ERA? Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? Lee Smith, with 8.73 to Bruce Sutter's 7.44.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lee Smith, with 33,335 career Pitcher PIV to Bruce Sutter's 23,292.
Lee Smith
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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. 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 | Lee Smith | Bruce Sutter |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 71 | 68 |
| Losses not scored | 92 | 71 |
| Games not scored | 1,022 | 661 |
| Games Started not scored | 6 | 0 |
| Complete Games not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 478 | 300 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,251 | 861 |
| Walks not scored | 486 | 309 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,133 | 879 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 89 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,289.1 | 1,042.0 |
| ERA | 3.03 | Leads: 2.83 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.73 | 7.44 |
| BB/9 | 3.39 | Leads: 2.67 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith outpaces Bruce Sutter 33,335 to 23,292 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Lee Smith played 18 seasons to Bruce Sutter's 12, while Bruce Sutter carries the higher per-season figure (1,941 to 1,852). 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 (40+ innings).
Lee Smith — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bruce Sutter — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter split the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card 3-3. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Lee Smith higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter careers compare
Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter were active at the same time between 1980 and 1988. The table compares 1,022 games of Lee Smith with 661 of Bruce Sutter across 18 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Bruce Sutter comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.83 to 3.03), WHIP (1.14 to 1.26), and walks per nine (2.67 to 3.39). The per-nine rows read 8.73 strikeouts and 3.39 walks for Lee Smith, 7.44 and 2.67 for Bruce Sutter. Both had the same role: Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves); Bruce Sutter worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 661 games, 300 saves).
Lee Smith vs Bruce Sutter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lee Smith or Bruce Sutter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 6 scored categories 3–3.
- Who had more saves?
- Lee Smith, with 478 to Bruce Sutter's 300.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lee Smith, with 1,251 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Lee Smith's 1.26.