Steve Crawford vs. Shota Imanaga — Career Comparison

Shota Imanaga built a career as a starting pitcher and Steve Crawford as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Shota Imanaga led in walk avoidance (BB%+ 180 vs 126), run prevention (ERA+ 130 vs 92), and strikeout rate (K%+ 106 vs 80). Steve Crawford held the edge in home run suppression (HR9+ 84 vs 74). Role difference aside, Shota Imanaga holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.