Joe Kennedy vs. Roger McDowell — Career Comparison

Joe Kennedy built a career as a starting pitcher and Roger McDowell as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Roger McDowell led in home run suppression (HR9+ 174 vs 105), run prevention (ERA+ 118 vs 89), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 97 vs 93). Joe Kennedy held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 83 vs 62). Role difference aside, Roger McDowell holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.