quality start

American  

[kwol-i-tee stahrt] / ˈkwɒl ɪ ti ˈstɑrt /

noun

Baseball.

1. a statistic indicating that a pitcher has pitched at least six innings in a game while allowing no more than three earned runs. QS

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Etymology

Origin of quality start

First recorded in 1920–25, for an earlier sense; 1995–2000, for the current sense

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

quality start

As the boos quieted, he authored a quality start in his Dodgers debut.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Ohtani gave up seven hits for a quality start that wasn’t his cleanest but was enough for the Dodgers to win after Hernández’s blast.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026

Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered a quality start, giving up one run and seven hits in six innings and turning the game over to the bullpen with a three-run lead.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2024

But he kept the damage to only three runs and was one out away from a quality start of six innings pitched, three runs or fewer allowed.

From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2024

Continuing to show steady improvement with each outing, rookie Emerson Hancock delivered his third consecutive quality start — six-plus innings pitched, three runs or fewer allowed.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 26, 2024