Don Sutton
| Birthdate | 4/2/1945 |
| Death Date | 1/21/2021 |
| Debut Year | 1966 |
| Year of Induction | 1998 |
| Teams | Angels, Astros, Athletics, Brewers, Dodgers |
| Position | Pitcher |
Don Sutton holds many Dodger franchise marks but recorded his 300th win with the Angels and his 3,000th strikeout with the Brewers.
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Don Sutton is one of 9 pitchers with at least 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts
Don Sutton is one of 9 pitchers with at least 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts
Don Sutton made his major league debut on April 14, 1966, just 12 days after his 21st birthday. That season he pitched alongside Dodger greats Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
The four-man rotation of ’66 was rounded out by Claude Osteen, a two-time all star and 196-game winner. The quartet started 154 of the Dodgers’ 162 games. Joe Moeller started the other eight.
Sutton won 12 games in his rookie season to begin a run of a dozen straight years with double-digit win totals. The model of consistency, the durable right-hander averaged 33 started per season in his 23-year career that went from 1966-1988.
Though he reached the 20-win mark only once, Sutton tallied 15 or more wins in 12 seasons. Cooperstown usually opens its doors to a pitcher with 300 wins or 3,000 strikeouts. Sutton finished his career with 324 victories and 3,574 strikeouts – one of only pitchers to break both milestones.
He threw 58 shutouts, five one-hitters, and ten two-hitters. Sutton pitched 16 years for the Dodgers, three each for the Angles and Brewers, two for the Astros, and one for the A’s. For his work, Sutton was elected to the Hall in 1998.
In this handwritten letter on Dodger letterhead, Sutton opines about the choice of the cap in his Hall of Fame plaque. The 324-game winner writes, “Jim, Although I played for a few teams, I’m very proud that it’s a Dodger cap in Cooperstown. Don Sutton 8-14-99”.
For Sutton fans August 14th is a highlight. One year to the day before he signed this, Sutton’s #20 was retired in a ceremony at Dodgers Stadium.
Though Sutton ranks high on the Dodger pitching leaderboard, he played for 4 other teams
Though Sutton ranks high on the Dodger pitching leaderboard, he played for 4 other teams
In 1979 Don Sutton broke Don Drysdale’s Dodger franchise records for wins and strikeouts. He held both marks for the rest of his life. In 2022 Clayton Kershaw passed Sutton on the strikeout list to take the team’s top spot.
Sutton left the Dodgers after the 1980 season. From 1981-1987 he pitched for the Astros, Brewers, A’s and Angels. Sutton’s final campaign in 1988 was a homecoming back to Los Angeles. Pitching for the eventual World Series champions, Sutton went 3-6 before pitching his final big league game on August 9.
Shown here is a 1983 Topps Super Veteran baseball card signed by 23-year MLB veteran Sutton.
