Part 4/10:
The turn of the 21st century saw a significant transformation brought about by advanced analytics. Data revealed a concerning trend: pitchers, even the best among them, performed poorly when facing a lineup for the third time in a game. This revelation prompted teams—most notably the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays—to prioritize limiting a starter's exposure to batters in exchange for a strategic advantage. The success of this philosophy has transformed how starting pitchers are used, as teams now leverage a combination of starters and specialized relievers to maximize effectiveness at the cost of endurance.