R. J. Alvarez vs. Ben Hendrickson — Career Comparison

Ben Hendrickson built a career as a starting pitcher and R. J. Alvarez as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ben Hendrickson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 7.41 and WHIP 1.869 compared to 7.71 and 1.879 for R. J. Alvarez. By the career numbers, Ben Hendrickson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.