Ben McDonald vs. Erik Swanson — Career Comparison

Ben McDonald built a career as a starting pitcher and Erik Swanson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Erik Swanson led in walk avoidance (BB%+ 152 vs 113), run prevention (ERA+ 130 vs 119), and skill-based run prevention (DICE+ 115 vs 105). Ben McDonald held the edge in home run suppression (HR9+ 105 vs 95). Role difference aside, Erik Swanson holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.