Overview
A complete game is recorded when a starting pitcher pitches the entire game without relief. Once commonplace, complete games have drastically declined with the rise of bullpen specialization. NPB's career record is Masaichi Kaneda's 365, a staggering figure befitting a 400-game winner. The single-season record is Kazuhisa Inao's 25 complete games in 1961, demonstrating the extraordinary durability that earned him the nickname 'Iron Arm.' In recent seasons, the entire league produces only 20-30 complete games, and in the 2020s it is not uncommon for a league leader to have just 5. A complete game demonstrates stamina and mental fortitude-the ability to win on one's own even without offensive support. However, the modern emphasis on pitch count management, with roughly 100 pitches as the benchmark for removal, has made forced complete games increasingly rare. Nevertheless, when Yoshinobu Yamamoto recorded 9 complete games in 2022, it underscored that an ace's ability to go the distance still carries significant weight in earning a team's trust.