Bruce Sutter vs Wilbur Wood: Career Stats Comparison
Wilbur Wood has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bruce Sutter played 1976–1988 as a pitcher; Wilbur Wood played 1961–1978 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
Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) and Wilbur Wood (1961–1978) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bruce Sutter finished with 68 wins and 861 strikeouts; Wilbur Wood finished with 164 wins and 1,411 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Wilbur Wood's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Wilbur Wood, with 164 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Wilbur Wood, with 1,411 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Wilbur Wood's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Wilbur Wood, with 2,684.0 to Bruce Sutter's 1,042.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Wilbur Wood, with 24 to Bruce Sutter's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bruce Sutter, with 23,292 career Pitcher PIV to Wilbur Wood's 13,866.
Bruce Sutter
Wilbur Wood
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, and the 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bruce Sutter | Wilbur Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 68 | Leads: 164 |
| Losses not scored | 71 | 156 |
| Games | Leads: 661 | 651 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 297 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 114 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 24 |
| Saves | Leads: 300 | 57 |
| Strikeouts | 861 | Leads: 1,411 |
| Walks not scored | 309 | 724 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 879 | 2,582 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 77 | 209 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,042.0 | Leads: 2,684.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.83 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.23 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.44 | 4.73 |
| BB/9 | 2.67 | Leads: 2.43 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bruce Sutter outpaces Wilbur Wood 23,292 to 13,866 — driven by per-season impact — 1,941 PIV per season to 770 — rather than by longevity, since Bruce Sutter played 12 seasons to Wilbur Wood's 18. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Bruce Sutter — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Wilbur Wood — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bruce Sutter leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Wilbur Wood owns wins, strikeouts, 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.
Related Matchups
How the Bruce Sutter and Wilbur Wood careers compare
The careers of Bruce Sutter (1976–1988) and Wilbur Wood (1961–1978) overlapped from 1976 to 1978, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 661 games for Bruce Sutter and 651 for Wilbur Wood across 12 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 7.44 strikeouts and 2.67 walks for Bruce Sutter, 4.73 and 2.43 for Wilbur Wood. Bruce Sutter worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 661 games, 300 saves), while Wilbur Wood split time between starting and relief (297 starts in 651 games). Complete games (0 to 114) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Bruce Sutter vs Wilbur Wood: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bruce Sutter or Wilbur Wood?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Wilbur Wood leads Bruce Sutter in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bruce Sutter, with 2.83 to Wilbur Wood's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Wilbur Wood, with 164 to Bruce Sutter's 68.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Wilbur Wood, with 1,411 to Bruce Sutter's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bruce Sutter, with 1.14 to Wilbur Wood's 1.23.