Pitching Roles

Pitching roles refer to the different positions and responsibilities of pitchers in a baseball game. Here are the key roles and when they are used:

For more information on how manager settings affect pitchers usage read here - Manager Page.

Your active roster includes 11 pitchers with specific roles:

Starting pitchers are the initial pitchers in the game, and are only used if they are assigned to start the next game

They ideally pitch all nine innings, but may be replaced for the following reasons:

Starting pitchers are crucial as they pitch the majority of innings for your team.

It's essential to have quality pitchers with solid pitching ratings (PO, FI, CO, SY).
High endurance (EN) is also valuable for starters to pitch deep into games.

Your starting rotation refers to the order in which the starting pitchers are used. You have three options for handling your rotation:

5-man rotation: The default option where each pitcher starts every fifth game, allowing for four days of rest between starts.
4-man rotation: An alternative option where only four pitchers start, with a minimum of three days of rest between starts.
Custom rotation: Manually adjust the rotation based on pitchers' endurance and fatigue, allowing the best-rested pitcher to start each game.

Managing your starting pitching in the playoffs is critically important.

In the playoffs, many teams shift to a 3-man rotation, using their best three starting pitchers. *Pitchers can be shifted between games to make them available to start on a few days' rest.
This strategy is possible due to rest days between games and series.

The bullpen consists of non-starting pitchers who fulfill various roles:

Closer (CL): Used in late innings to secure a narrow lead.
Set-up (SU): Used in the 7th and 8th innings in close games to bridge the gap to the closer.
Middle Relief (MR): Used in the middle to late innings when the team is ahead or behind by more than a few runs.
Long Relief (LR): Called upon when a starting pitcher falters early or in certain situations.

In set-up and middle relief roles, the batter vs. pitcher match-up is considered before determining which pitcher to bring into the game.

Having both right-handed and left-handed pitchers in these roles can be effective in managing the team and taking advantage of favorable match-ups.