Michael Mercado vs. Luke Putkonen — Career Comparison

Michael Mercado built a career as a starting pitcher and Luke Putkonen as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Luke Putkonen posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 4.66 and WHIP 1.552 compared to 11.81 and 2.250 for Michael Mercado. By the career numbers, Luke Putkonen had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.