The Battle off Samar's apparent mismatch

Why is the Battle off Samar often described as such an extreme mismatch?

The Japanese force held a huge advantage in battleships and cruisers, but the American escort force's destroyers and aircraft still made the outcome more complicated than the raw order of battle suggests.

The answer starts with the striking imbalance in heavy ships, aircraft, and losses. Kurita brought battleships and cruisers against escort carriers, destroyers, and destroyer escorts, making the order of battle look overwhelmingly one-sided. The American destroyers were still a serious force, especially the Fletcher class, and their attacks were aggressively handled. Samar is therefore best understood through both the mismatch and the ability of light forces and aircraft to disrupt a stronger fleet.