Steve Cishek vs. James McDonald — Career Comparison

James McDonald built a career as a starting pitcher and Steve Cishek as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Steve Cishek led in home run suppression (HR9+ 179 vs 82), run prevention (ERA+ 124 vs 94), and walk avoidance (BB%+ 89 vs 75). James McDonald held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 107 vs 100). Role difference aside, Steve Cishek holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.