In 1966, a 21-year-old rookie named Don Sutton joined a rotation that already featured the legendary duo of Koufax and Drysdale. While he lacked the overwhelming velocity of his peers, he possessed a cerebral approach and a durable arm that would anchor the staff for a decade and a half.

Debuting just two years after signing, he secured a spot in the rotation and proved he belonged by navigating his rookie season with double-digit wins and a stellar strikeout rate. He remained a professional mainstay throughout the late sixties, beginning a remarkable streak in which he recorded at least 15 victories over eight consecutive seasons from 1969 to 1976. This steady accumulation of quality starts made him the rotation's most dependable weapon, ensuring the Dodgers remained competitive during the post-Koufax transition.

During the mid-1970s, Sutton established himself as one of the premier right-handers in the National League. Between 1972 and 1976, he was a perennial fixture in the Cy Young race, consistently finishing in the top five of the voting. He showcased a mastery of the strike zone during this peak, twice leading the league in WHIP and once in strikeout-to-walk ratio. While he was often categorized as a "steady hand" rather than a flashy superstar, his ability to suppress baserunners and provide over 250 innings a year was the engine behind the Dodgers' multiple pennant runs.

His tenure featured a late-career masterpiece in 1980, a season that served as his final punctuation mark in Los Angeles. At age 35, he demonstrated he still possessed elite efficiency by capturing his first National League ERA title with a 2.21 mark. He remained a high-quality starter until his final day with the club, providing a veteran presence for a new generation of arms before departing for Houston as a free agent. The statistical footprint he left behind remains staggering; as of this writing, he still stands as the all-time franchise leader in wins (233), innings pitched (3,816.1), strikeouts (2,696), and shutouts (52).

Sutton was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Dodgers followed their longstanding tradition by retiring his number 20 that same year.

2021 is looking a lot like 2020.

As we are days away from learning who the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2021 will be, Don Sutton, who was inducted in 1998, passed away after a long battle with cancer.  He was 75 years old.

Sutton debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966, and played there for his first fifteen seasons.  A four-time All-Star, from 1972 to 1976, Sutton finished in the top five in Cy Young voting and was a four-time league-leader in WHIP.  He also played for Houston, Milwaukee, Oakland and California, and finished his career at age 43 with a final run as a Dodger.

He retired with a career record of 324-256 with 3,574 Strikeouts.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to fans, friends and family of Don Sutton.