Jose Alvarado vs. Frank Viola — Career Comparison

Frank Viola built a career as a starting pitcher and Jose Alvarado as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Jose Alvarado led in home run suppression (HR9+ 303 vs 73), skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 154 vs 95), and run prevention (ERA+ 147 vs 94). Frank Viola held the edge in walk avoidance (BB%+ 113 vs 79). Role difference aside, Jose Alvarado holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.