R. J. Alvarez vs. Dave Stieb — Career Comparison

Dave Stieb 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. Dave Stieb posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.44 and WHIP 1.258 compared to 7.71 and 1.879 for R. J. Alvarez. By the career numbers, Dave Stieb had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.