Bruce Sutter vs Kent Tekulve: Career Stats Comparison
Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) and Kent Tekulve (1974–1989) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bruce Sutter compiled 68 wins and 861 strikeouts; Kent Tekulve put up 94 wins and 779 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Bruce Sutter
Kent Tekulve
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Bruce Sutter | Kent Tekulve |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 68 | 94 |
| Losses | 71 | 90 |
| Games | 661 | 1,050 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 300 | 184 |
| Strikeouts | 861 | 779 |
| Walks | 309 | 491 |
| Hits Allowed | 879 | 1,305 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 77 | 63 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,042 | 1,436 |
| ERA | 2.83 | 2.85 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 7.44 | 4.88 |
| BB/9 | 2.67 | 3.08 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bruce Sutter edges Kent Tekulve 23,292 to 22,171 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,941 vs 1,304 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).
Bruce Sutter — top 1 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Kent Tekulve — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bruce Sutter leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Kent Tekulve owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bruce Sutter. PIV agrees: Bruce Sutter grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.