In
baseball or
softball, 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. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a
relief pitcher. 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.