Zach Jackson vs. Riley Smith — Career Comparison

Zach Jackson built a career as a starting pitcher and Riley Smith as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Riley Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.04 and WHIP 1.436 compared to 5.81 and 1.566 for Zach Jackson. By the career numbers, Riley Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.