In baseball, a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pitchers are expected to pitch for a significant portion of the game, although their ability to do this depends on many factors, including effectiveness, stamina, health, and strategy.
Chris Young warms up in the bullpen before a game at Wrigley Field minutes before the 12:05 start (see scoreboard clock).
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1. The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game, and as such is situated at the right end of the defensive spectrum. There are many different types of pitchers, such as the starting pitcher, relief pitcher, middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and the closer.
A. J. Minter, a relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves pitching in the 9th inning of a game versus the Washington Nationals.
A Navy pitcher releases the baseball from the pitcher's mound.
Delivery of the baseball from the pitcher to catcher
Major League Baseball player Noah Syndergaard pitching for the New York Mets in 2015