What Is A Quality Start In Baseball?

A quality start in baseball is when a starting pitcher completes at least six innings while allowing three or fewer earned runs.

What is a quality start?

In baseball, a quality start is a statistic that measures the starting pitcher’s effectiveness by combining how long he pitched in the game with how many earned runs he conceded.

In order to be considered for a quality start, a pitcher must complete at least six innings pitched in the game, and no more than three earned runs can be scored against him. If a pitcher completes six innings and gives up three or fewer earned runs, he is credited with a quality start. If he completes fewer than six innings or gives up more than three earned runs, it is not considered a quality start.

The quality start statistic was devised in 1985 by John Lowe of the Montreal Expos, and became an official Major League Baseball statistic in 1988.

How is a quality start defined?

In baseball, a quality start is a statistic credited to a starting pitcher. A pitcher earns a quality start by completing at least six innings while allowing three or fewer earned runs, or the equivalent thereof.[1] Effectively, it is a measure of whether the starting pitcher “did his job” – that is, gave his team an opportunity to win – or not.

The quality start was introduced by Jack O’Connell of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in 1985.[2] He based it on research he had done while working for The Hartford Courant. O’Connell found that teams scoring four or more runs while their starter was in the game won about 80 percent of their games. He also found that teams scoring three runs or fewer while their starter was in the game won only about 30 percent of their games. He reasoned that starters who pitched well enough to give their team a chance to win deserved some kind of recognition, even if they did not get credit for a win.[3]

What is the difference between a quality start and a regular start?

In baseball, a quality start is a statistical benchmark for starting pitchers, defined as a game in which the starting pitcher works six or more innings while allowing three or fewer earned runs.

The quality start was first introduced by Jack O’Connell of the Baseball Writers Association of America in 1985. O’Connell wanted to find a way to evaluate starting pitchers beyond simply wins and losses, and came up with the quality start as a way to measure how effective a starter was in a given outing.

While there is no official record kept for quality starts, the stat has become widely accepted as a way to measure a starter’s performance. In order to be credited with a quality start, the pitcher must complete at least six innings and allow three or fewer earned runs. If the starter pitches less than six innings but allows three or fewer earned runs, he can still be credited with a quality start if he leaves the game with his team leading.

The quality start has become an important stat for evaluating pitchers, especially since it was introduced in 1985. While wins and losses are still important, they can be misleading when trying to evaluate how effective a pitcher really is. A starter could pitch eight innings of shutout ball but still lose the game 1-0, while another starter could allow three runs in six innings and get credit for a win. In both cases, the first pitcher would have pitched better than the second, but only the second would have gotten credit for a win. The quality start stat helps to take some of the luck out of evaluating pitchers by rewarding those who go deep into games and keep their team in contention.

How does a quality start impact a team’s chances of winning?

A quality start is a metric used in baseball to judge the starting pitcher’s performance. It is defined as a start in which the pitcher pitched at least six innings while giving up three or fewer earned runs, or five innings while giving up no more than two runs (one of which may be unearned). A pitcher who records a quality start is credited with giving his team a chance to win the game.

The quality start became an official MLB statistic in 1988. In the years since, it has become increasingly popular as a way to evaluate starting pitchers. While it does not guarantee a win for the team, it does provide a good indication of how well the pitcher performed.

In recent years, there has been some debate about the usefulness of the quality start statistic. Critics argue that it does not take into account important factors such as pitch count and game situation. However, most proponents of the stat continue to believe that it is a helpful tool for judging a starting pitcher’s performance.

What are some examples of recent quality starts in baseball?

In baseball, a quality start is defined as a start in which the pitcher works at least six innings and gives up three earned runs or fewer. A quality start is not necessarily a win for the pitcher; in fact, a pitcher can receive a no-decision or a loss even if he meets the criteria for a quality start. Quality starts became an official baseball statistic in 1988.

Some recent examples of quality starts in baseball include:
-Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers threw 7 innings, giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits while striking out 9 batters in a 5-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on April 7, 2019.
-Blake Snell of the Tampa Bay Rays went 6 innings, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 8 batters in a 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on April 10, 2019.
-Sean Manaea of the Oakland Athletics pitched 7 innings, surrendering 1 run on 2 hits while fanning 8 batters en route to a 5-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on April 12, 2019.