Don Sutton vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Don Sutton (1966–1988) and Bob Veale (1962–1974) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Don Sutton compiled 324 wins and 3,574 strikeouts; Bob Veale put up 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Don Sutton | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 324 | 120 |
| Losses | 256 | 95 |
| Games | 774 | 397 |
| Games Started | 756 | 255 |
| Complete Games | 178 | 78 |
| Shutouts | 58 | 20 |
| Saves | 5 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | 3,574 | 1,703 |
| Walks | 1,343 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,692 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 472 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,282 | 1,926 |
| ERA | 3.26 | 3.07 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 6.09 | 7.96 |
| BB/9 | 2.29 | 4.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Sutton outpaces Bob Veale 63,310 to 36,615 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,532 vs 2,615 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).
Don Sutton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Veale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Sutton leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Bob Veale owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Sutton. PIV agrees: Don Sutton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.