Bryan Abreu vs. John Smoltz — Career Comparison

John Smoltz built a career as a starting pitcher and Bryan Abreu as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Bryan Abreu led in home run suppression (HR9+ 178 vs 106), run prevention (ERA+ 161 vs 106), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 141 vs 107). John Smoltz held the edge in walk avoidance (BB%+ 91 vs 89). Role difference aside, Bryan Abreu holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.