Ryan Mattheus vs. Tim Wakefield — Career Comparison

Tim Wakefield built a career as a starting pitcher and Ryan Mattheus as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ryan Mattheus led in home run suppression (HR9+ 206 vs 78), walk avoidance (BB%+ 117 vs 92), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 100 vs 84). Tim Wakefield held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 87 vs 66). Role difference aside, Ryan Mattheus holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.