Zach Jackson vs. Rich Thompson — Career Comparison

Zach Jackson built a career as a starting pitcher and Rich Thompson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Rich Thompson posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.05 and WHIP 1.667 compared to 5.81 and 1.566 for Zach Jackson. By the career numbers, Rich Thompson had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.