Phil Hughes vs. John Murphy — Career Comparison

Phil Hughes built a career as a starting pitcher and John Murphy as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. John Murphy posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.61 and WHIP 1.278 compared to 4.52 and 1.324 for Phil Hughes. By the career numbers, John Murphy had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.