Drew Smyly vs. Cecil Upshaw — Career Comparison

Drew Smyly built a career as a starting pitcher and Cecil Upshaw as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Cecil Upshaw led in home run suppression (HR9+ 120 vs 72), walk avoidance (BB%+ 123 vs 104), and run prevention (ERA+ 107 vs 92). Drew Smyly held the edge in strikeout rate (K%+ 102 vs 88). Role difference aside, Cecil Upshaw holds a clear edge on every meaningful shared measure.