Hisashi Iwakuma vs. Dave Righetti — Career Comparison

Hisashi Iwakuma built a career as a starting pitcher and Dave Righetti as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Hisashi Iwakuma led in walk avoidance (BB%+ 160 vs 103), run prevention (ERA+ 124 vs 93), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 109 vs 92). Dave Righetti held the edge in home run suppression (HR9+ 98 vs 96). Role difference aside, Hisashi Iwakuma holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.