Ryota Igarashi vs. Tom Means — Career Comparison

Tom Means built a career as a starting pitcher and Ryota Igarashi as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Tom Means posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.05 and WHIP 0.900 compared to 6.41 and 1.849 for Ryota Igarashi. By the career numbers, Tom Means had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.