A long reliever is a baseball term for a relief pitcher who is called upon to pitch multiple innings in a game. Synonyms for the term "long reliever" include a spot starter, middle reliever, or swingman. A spot starter is a relief pitcher who occasionally starts games when a team's starting pitcher is injured or unable to make the start. A middle reliever is a pitcher who typically enters the game after the starting pitcher has been taken out and will pitch for several innings. A swingman is a pitcher who can both start and come out of the bullpen depending on the team's needs.