Overview
A win is a victory credited to an individual pitcher, one of the most traditional measures of pitching performance. For a starter, a win requires pitching at least five innings, leaving with the lead, and having the team maintain that lead through the final out. For a reliever, a win is earned when the team takes the lead during the pitcher's appearance and holds it. For decades, wins were the most valued pitching statistic. A '20-win pitcher' was the gold standard of ace status, and the most-wins title ranked among the highest honors. However, sabermetric analysis has fundamentally reassessed the win's value. Wins depend heavily on factors beyond the pitcher's control: run support from the lineup, bullpen reliability, and defensive quality. A pitcher can deliver an excellent outing yet receive no win if the offense fails to score, while another can pitch poorly but earn a win thanks to massive run support. Modern pitcher evaluation therefore emphasizes ERA, FIP, and WAR, diminishing the win's relative importance. Nevertheless, career win totals retain value as indicators of longevity and consistency.