Overview
The starting pitcher takes the mound at the beginning of the game, aiming to pitch as deep as possible to anchor the team's effort. NPB predominantly uses a six-man rotation with six days between starts, compared to MLB's five-man rotation with four days' rest, resulting in longer intervals and generally more relaxed pitch count limits per game. Key evaluation metrics include quality start rate, ERA, and WHIP, with FIP and innings-eating ability gaining importance. An ace-caliber starter is the most critical asset on a roster; the NPB adage holds that a team can contend if its ace wins 15 games. However, since wins depend on run support, modern evaluation increasingly favors metrics that directly assess pitching performance.