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designated hitter

Definition of designated hitter

  • locum tenens
  • pinch hitter
  • replacement

Examples of designated hitter in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'designated hitter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Dictionary Entries Near designated hitter

designated driver

designation

Cite this Entry

“Designated hitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/designated%20hitter. Accessed 21 Feb. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on designated hitter

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about designated hitter

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Meaning of designated hitter in English

  • Because of his injury , he is limited to being a designated hitter .
  • At the end of his career he played mainly as a designated hitter .
  • They have tried to make the game more exciting by adding a designated hitter who bats in place of the pitcher .
  • 1-2-3 inning
  • around the horn idiom
  • ground ball
  • strike out (somewhere)
  • swing for the fences idiom

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an object in the shape of an animal, etc. that contains sweets . It is hung up at parties and children hit it with sticks to break it open and release the sweets.

Infinitive or -ing verb? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (1)

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Definition of 'designated hitter'

  • designated hitter

designated hitter in American English

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designated hitter

  • 1.1.1 Synonyms
  • 1.2 See also

English [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ].

designated hitter ( plural designated hitters )

  • ( baseball ) A batter who is permitted to substitute for a pitcher in the batting rotation for the duration of a baseball game.
  • ( colloquial ) A person who is asked to substitute for another in handling a portion of a task for which the other is less capable.

Synonyms [ edit ]

  • ( abbreviation ) : DH

See also [ edit ]

  • pinch hitter

define designated hitter

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What is a Designated Hitter (DH) in Baseball?

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The baseball term designated hitter has been adopted into American lexicon, to describe developments off the field. Like a person with a very special skill who gets asked to serve a work team temporarily. Or a wealthy (and generous) friend to bring along for a night on the town.

But just for baseball, exactly what is a designated hitter ? A designated hitter, often called the DH, is a hitter who replaces a position player in the batting lineup, but does not replace that player on defense. The designated only bats, and does not field.

In Major League Baseball, it is a rule (5.11) that lets teams use a different rostered player to hit in the pitcher’s place in the order.  The rule changes nothing on defense, as the pitcher remains in the game and the DH only hits. Note that in the MLB, only pitchers can be DH’d for.

In lower levels of baseball, any defensive player can have a DH replace him in the batting order. A player can be allowed to play defense, but not bat, in favor of a better hitter. However, most frequently at these levels, managers have a DH bat for the pitcher.

The crux of the designated hitter matter is this: very few pitchers hit well. And, almost always, at least 9 other players are on the team who hit better.

Not all, mind you ~ Shohtei Ohtani[LINK https://baseballscouter.com/why-is-shohei-ohtani-so-popular/ ] breaks the mold; and Babe Ruth was a very good pitcher for the Boston Red Sox before slugging to immortality with the New York Yankees.

But by and large, for reasons noted below, pitchers typically are inferior hitters to the position players. Hence, the invention of the DH.

Designated Hitter Origins

While it’s impossible to pinpoint when the designated hitter concept was born and by whom, it was most notably spotlighted for Major League Baseball by Hall of Fame manager and club owner Connie Mack, in 1906.

While Mack got a tepid response, the concept continued to be considered, as baseball insiders and fans alike watched pitchers strike out repeatedly, or be ordered to bunt.

In spring training 1929, National League owners seriously considered a consistent push by then-president John Heydler to add a 10th-man DH. While ultimately it failed, the concept never died ~ and caught fire once pitchers started severely dominating hitters in the 1960s.

Before 1969, the pitcher’s mound was 5 inches taller, and the strike zone was larger, and a slew of big-time pitchers like Bob Gibson (who had a 1.12 earned run average in 1968), Sandy Koufax (3 no-hitters), Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal, and several others kept ballgame scores very low.

That year, 1968, was the pinnacle for pitchers. Carl Yastrzemski won the American League batting title by hitting just .301; and Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny McLain won 31 games. Both of these feats are hard to fathom in today’s MLB.

All the while, MLB attendance suffered. Their games couldn’t have gone on a low-scoring trend at a worse time, as the widespread availability of the television propelled the exciting (and high-scoring) National Football League to the forefront of millions of Americans.

The MLB had to compete, making rule changes to help the batter (like lowering the mound and shrinking the strike zone), which bumped scoring up a little starting in 1969. But it was not enough.

That year, several minor leagues began experimenting with a DH in their contests. The American League allowed it in spring training of 1971.

Finally, at the start of 1973, with a major push from Oakland A’s owner Charlie O. Finley, American League owners voted 8-4 to allow the DH for a trial run (of 3 years). The 1st DH, as most knowledgeable baseball fans know, was Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees. (He worked a 5-pitch base on balls from Luis Tiant).

It worked: the American League topped the National League in overall batting average that season ~ and has for every season thereafter. American sports fans love scoring.

In the 1970s and 1980s the DH was adopted by most school leagues, both for high school and college play. In fact, by the 2nd decade of the 21st century, the MLB’s National League was among the few high-level professional baseball leagues in the world still making pitchers hit. (Of interest is the fact that the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball, inJapan, still does not allow the designated hitter).

The DH and the National League

National League owners, who almost voted to approve the DH in 1980 after several years of falling behind in attendance to the junior circuit, held out until the coronavirus of 2020, when they used it as an experiment in the shortened 60-game season.

It proved popular and was made permanent by the N.L., finally, for the 2022 season. Remember, that season was delayed by an owners-players dispute, and the resultant collective bargaining agreement between the parties included what is called the universal DH.

Benefits of Using a Designated Hitter

Besides eliminating hitting for pitchers and boosting scoring, the DH rule offers many options and advantages to teams and managers, including:

  • Managers could rotate position players each into the DH spot in the batting order, thus giving regular players days off to rest, and keeping bench players “fresh” with extra at-bats. (Very few MLB players get over 400 at-bats per season serving as DH; it is a batting order slot quite often juggled).
  • They also could use the DH slot strategically depending on the pitcher, such as starting a left-handed batter as DH when a right-hander was throwing.
  • The DH spot in the batting order is a way to re-introduce players who had been out with injuries back into play, while limiting the potential for re-injury playing out in the field.
  • Using a DH speeds up games by reducing delays for pinch-hitters to replace pitchers who were behind late in contests. Pitchers being pinch-hit for in the latter innings bothers many fans.

Troubles with Implementing the DH in MLB Play

Instituting the DH, both just in a single league, and after 2022 with the universal DH, proved a challenge for Major League Baseball. Eventually, teams from both leagues had to square off in the All-Star Game or World Series. Rules had to be changed and adjusted. A summary:

  • During interleague play from its inception in 1997 through 2021, the DH rule was applied in games according to the rules of the home team’s league. Games played in an American League park allowed use of the designated hitter; pitchers had to hit in National League parks for many years.
  • In the World Series, only N.L. rules were used through 1975, meaning no DH.
  • In 1976 , it was changed so the DH rule applied to every World Series game regardless of venue ~ but only in even-numbered years! (Dan Driessen of the Cincinnati Reds became the 1st National League player to serve as a DH.
  • Starting in 1986 , the DH rule was used in games played in stadiums of the American League representative in the World Series. (It immediately had an impact, too: hard-hitting Don Baylor did not play in the 4 games played in New York, hindering the Boston Red Sox offense in what ended with the Mets barely winning the Series).
  • The DH did not arrive at the All-Star Game until 1989, and even then only when the game was played in an A.L. park.
  • The designated hitter has been used by both teams in the All-Star Game since 2010.

Why Pitchers are Poor Hitters in Baseball

baseball pitcher

As stated above, not all pitchers are poor hitters. But a great majority of pitchers at the highest levels of play are just not nearly as good as position players. And some pitchers just flat-out suck at hitting.

The main reason is that there is a finite amount of time for all the position players to get batting practice regularly.

Few teams sacrificed that time to let pitchers get in practice hacks. It developed into an issue of priority, with the hitters getting cage time. Some pitchers didn’t even complain, as they were ordered to bunt so much pre-DH. It allowed them to solely focus on throwing.

Additionally, starting pitchers were slotted last in the batting lineup, giving them few game at-bats to improve their skills.

Relief pitchers had it the worst: when they were entered into a game, the manager would slot him in the batting order for a player who just batted the inning prior ~ to push that at bat back an inning or 2, time in which the manager could decide on using a pinch hitter or enter a new pitcher.

However, the biggest reason high-level pitchers can’t hit well is that clubs who pay their salary want them to focus on what they do best ~ and what most helps win games ~ and that is pitching. Clubs also don’t want to chance their high-salaried pitchers getting injured in the batter’s box or while running bases.

Pitchers’ ability to throw strikes and make the ball move fast or strangely is hugely of value for MLB teams. As is the ability of catchers on defense to handle pitches. After pitchers, catchers as a group are the next-lightest-hitting position on the field. It’s  because they too are valued more for defensive prowess, so they spend more time practicing that element of their game.

A lot of players before being drafted by an MLB team excelled at both pitching and hitting, either in high school, or in college. Almost always, the player is drafted as one or the other ~ a pitcher, or a position player. It’s just too hard for clubs to develop top-level quality as it is, let alone doubling the work.

Some pitchers fail on the mound and then turn to playing the field and hitting instead, with Rick Ankiel being a prime example, jumping into the outfield and eventually hitting decently well at the plate after failing as a pitcher.

Who Wanted to Get Rid of the DH?

While at this point, with the National League adopting the DH, the debate over the rule seems destined to fade. Still, why did so many people want the MLB to get rid of the DH ?

In a word, tradition. Of all the major team sports, baseball is immersed in its history and related traditions. Pitchers had been batting since the start of Major League Baseball in 1876 and the game grew and thrived. Why change it, the argument went.

Many argued for the strategic element for managers with the pitcher’s spot in the lineup, to set a batting order with players right before the pitcher who could get on base, for instance, or run fast to take advantage of bunting.

And believe it or not, there are diehard baseball fans who appreciate low-scoring affairs ~ like 1-0 pitchers’ duels, or the most common score of all in baseball, the 3-2 nail-biter. The additional offense provided by a DH is not enticing for these fans.

Notable Designated Hitters

Shohei ohtani.

Shohei-Ohtani

Think about this: from 1976 through the end of the 2020 season, no American League team chose the option of not using the DH rule to hit for pitchers. That changed on April 4, 2021, when the Los Angeles Angels slotted starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani to bat 2nd in the batting lineup. With the talented stick of the game’s 2-way player, there was no need to find another hitter off the bench. (Another record, which has stood since 1903, was broken when Ohtani as a pitcher was placed that high up in the batting order).

More Details about Ohtani: Why is Shohei Ohtani so Popular?

Paul Molitor

Molitor was probably the player who most brought the DH to the “mainstream.” People forget that he was drafted as a shortstop, and spent time playing 2nd and 3rd base, and even played a little outfield in MLB games, before injuries made him primarily a DH. Still, for 3 games of the 1993 World Series, he played the field, at either 1st or 3rd base. Signed by a talented Toronto Blue Jays team in the early 1990s, he thrived in the postseason and claimed a world title in 1993. Attaining the magical 3,000-hit milestone  (3,319 to be precise, good for 10th all-time as of 2023) solidified his election to the Hall of Fame.

Frank Thomas

While primarily a slugging 1st baseman, Thomas in 2014 became the 1st player elected to the Hall of Fame who played a majority of his games at the DH position.

Edgar Martinez

By the late 1990s, Edgar Martinez quietly established himself as the pre-eminent professional hitter, slugging in a fearsome Seattle Mariners lineup that also featured Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez. Like Molitor, Martinez spent a considerable amount of time playing 3rd base before shifting to full-time hitter, but in the end played over 70% of games over his career as DH. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Harold Baines

Baines actually played a lot of outfield in his earlier days. In fact, he played 1,187 games in a position not the designated hitter. It wasn’t until later in his career that he shifted mostly to hitting, a prime example of the DH helping to extend a player’s career. While a feared hitter in his prime, Baines’ election to the Hall of Fame remains controversial as some fans don’t believe his final career statistics are up to par, and even when he played the field he was not an outstanding defender. He also was elected to the Hall in 2019, along with Martinez.

David Ortiz

Shunned by the Minnesota Twins, big 1st baseman-DH David Ortiz was snatched up by the Boston Red Sox ~ where he thrived as a postseason hero, a loveable fan favorite, 3-time World Series Champion, and Hall of Fame member (elected 2022). As with Molitor, in World Series games at National League teams’ cities, Ortiz played first base (even making a key double play throw in Game 3 of the 2004 World Series). As with Baines, there is a segment of fans who do not agree with Ortiz’s selection for the Hall. In the end, Ortiz became the first full-time DH (playing 88% of his games in the position) elected to the Hall.

Related Questions

Question: are there any dh-only players in the mlb hall of fame..

Answer: No. To date, no “true DH” has been elected to the Hall of Fame ~ that is, a player who came up as a DH and only played that position over a career.

Q.: Do MLB teams have to use a DH?

A.: No. Use of a designated hitter is optional. Managers must declare intent to use the DH at the start of each game (by simply including one on the lineup card, which will also list the starting pitcher below the hitters).

Q.: Can a DH be moved to a fielding position?

A.: Yes, but … The DH can be moved to a position out in the field during a game. However, if so, his team forfeits use of a designated hitter for the remainder of the game. That means weak hitters (e.g. pitchers) could be forced to hit later in the contest.

A Place To Learn Sports. On And Off The Field.

Designated Hitter (DH)

des*ig*nat*ed hit*ter

What Is The Definition Of Designated Hitter In Baseball?

1. The designated hitter (DH) is a player whose sole purpose during a game is to permanently hit and run the bases for a defensive player, usually the pitcher. The designated hitter in Major League Baseball is only allowed in the American League. However, the designated hitter is allowed to be used against and by National League teams in certain scenarios. Both the National League and American League teams are allowed to use a designated hitter when a game is played in an American League stadium during interleague play, the All-Star game or the World Series.

Examples Of How Designated Hitter Is Used In Commentary

1. The manager decided to take Martinez out of the field and use him as the DH tonight against the Yankees.

2. With the next two games of the World Series being played in San Francisco, the Yankees decide to have Rodriguez hit in the DH spot and have Chavez play third base. The move will keep the hot hitting Rodriguez in the lineup while also making them stronger defensively at third base with Chavez.

Sports The Term Is Used

1. Baseball 2. Softball

Abbreviated As:

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Definition of hitter noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

  • a big/long/hard hitter
  • a left-handed/right-handed hitter

Want to learn more?

Find out which words work together and produce more natural-sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

define designated hitter

MLB Insider Drops Hints on Mets’ 2024 Plans at Designated Hitter

I n his first winter in charge of the New York Mets, president of baseball operations David Stearns has made several moves to shape the organization’s 2024 roster. One perceived hole that hasn’t yet been plugged by an external acquisition is designated hitter.

The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported on February 1 how the front office is currently viewing this area of the Mets’ everyday lineup. There are still two free-agent sluggers available who could conceivably be had at an affordable price and immediately boost New York’s offense: J.D. Martinez and Jorge Soler.

While New York isn’t closing the door on either hitter, Sammon is reporting that their respective asking prices will need to “dramatically drop” for the Mets to become “aggressive pursuers.” If that’s the case, then which hitters will share the majority of DH at-bats in Queens during the 2024 season? Per Sammon, it will mostly include a combination of Mark Vientos, Starling Marte and DJ Stewart.

Designated hitter has been an area of concern for the Mets since the Universal DH rule went into effect at the start of 2022. The hitters used for this position have combined to hit .223/.309/.374 across 1,588 plate appearances. It’s produced a .682 OPS, which is the sixth-worst mark in baseball, per FanGraphs.

How Much Would Prices Need to Drop for the Mets?

There’s certainly been outside pressure put on the Mets to take advantage of a slow-moving free-agent market. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman called on New York to sign Martinez or Soler because they “owe it to Pete Alonso” to get him legitimate lineup protection. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter also predicted on February 1 that New York would ultimately land Martinez.

If their respective prices need to drop dramatically for the Mets to get seriously involved, what would it take?

On November 6, MLB Trade Rumors made contract predictions for their top 50 free agents. They pegged Martinez for a two-year, $40 million deal and Soler for a three-year, $45 million pact. Based on Stearns’ offseason moves, New York might only be seriously interested if it’s a one-year commitment.

The lone player to join Queens on a multi-year agreement this winter is starting pitcher Sean Manaea. He signed a two-year, $28 million deal, but even the second season of his contract isn’t totally guaranteed. It’s a player option, per Spotrac.

A Look at New York’s Projected 2024 DH Production

Daniel Vogelbach received the bulk of at-bats as New York’s designated hitter in 2023. He hit .233/.339/.404 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI in 319 plate appearances.

Keeping with the trio of Vientos, Marte and Stewart, here’s what FanGraphs’ ZiPS projections are expecting from them in 2024:

  • Vientos: .238/.300/.428 with 20 home runs and 67 RBI
  • Marte: .264/.323/.391 with nine home runs and 44 RBI
  • Stewart: .218/.294/.369 with 12 home runs and 43 RBI

Stearns said on January 10 during an appearance on “The Show” podcast with Heyman and the New York Post’s Joel Sherman that the Mets didn’t want to take opportunities from young players to establish themselves by acquiring a veteran.

How the market evolves will determine what ultimately happens. This is lining up to be a great chance for Vientos to show what he can do, though. Marte is currently slotted to be the starting right fielder. With infielder Ronny Mauricio rehabbing from a torn ACL, there are more at-bats to go around for Brett Baty and Vientos.

As it currently stands, ZiPS is projecting a .728 OPS for Vientos in 2024. That’d be a substantial increase from his career .610 OPS and it’d be a significant boost to the Mets’ lineup.

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This article was originally published on Heavy.com

The post MLB Insider Drops Hints on Mets’ 2024 Plans at Designated Hitter appeared first on Heavy.com .

Veteran DH options are available in free agency for the Mets, who have a clear need there. Under what circumstances will they make a move?

Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton turns page on career-worst season

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TAMPA, Florida -- New York Yankees designated hitter/outfielder Giancarlo Stanton says he has turned the page on a rough 2023 season and flushed it down the toilet.

"I gotta change the narrative," the 34-year-old told reporters on Monday, as Yankees position players reported to camp.

Stanton is coming off the worst season of his career, hitting .191/.275/.420 in 101 games and drawing criticism from general manager Brian Cashman, who told reporters that Stanton is "going to wind up getting hurt again, more likely than not, because it seems to be part of his game."

While the two have talked since then and Stanton said he's back on good terms with Cashman, he also bluntly added that Cashman "knows my reaction" to the comments.

Stanton was coming off a 59-homer season with the Marlins in 2017 when the Yankees acquired him to pair alongside Aaron Judge , but he has never come close to that kind of production in his six seasons with the Yankees. While he has three 30-homer seasons, including 2021 (35) and 2022 (31), he has also battled injuries, missing nearly all of the 2019 season and averaging 117 games the past three years, with a hamstring injury knocking him for 43 games in 2023.

"I have to stay on the field," Stanton said. "The start/stopping is not ideal. I need to play and not be on the sidelines."

Stanton said he has lost weight -- he wouldn't say how much -- and it was a mutual decision for him to report to camp lighter. While he's likely to get most of his time at designated hitter, manager Aaron Boone said last week that he still wants Stanton to remain agile enough to use him occasionally in the outfield.

With the additions of outfielders Juan Soto , Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham to go with Judge, Stanton's regular spot in the lineup may not even be guaranteed. The Yankees' best defensive alignment would feature Grisham in center, Judge in right and Verdugo in left with Soto at DH, but even if Stanton is the regular DH, there will be days Boone will want to give Judge and Soto days off from the field.

Stanton still has four years remaining on a 13-year, $325 million contract he originally signed with the Marlins and will make $32 million in 2024. The Yankees can only hope he'll come closer to earning that salary than he did last season.

Stanton's strikeout rate of 29.9% was high, although right in line with his percentages since joining the Yankees. His batting average on balls in play fell from .324 in 2021 to .210 in 2023, contributing to the sub-.200 average. At his best, he regularly hit over .300 against four-seam fastballs, but he hit just .200 against them last season.

"It's not a rebuild of confidence. It's a big stack of things that weren't aligned, and this is a new year and after this I'm not talking about last year too much," he said. "I don't get paid to be a stand-up guy. I'm here to produce and help us win a championship."

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Michael kay skewers the mets’ offseason: ‘derelict in their duty’.

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Michael Kay laid the lumber to the Mets for their paltry spending this offseason.

While the Mets have signed veterans like Harrison Bader and Luis Severino on short-term deals this winter, they have avoided the splashy acquisitions that highlighted the outset of owner Steve Cohen’s tenure.

In a recent segment on ESPN New York, Kay acknowledged that he would get flack given that he is the longtime play-by-play broadcaster for the Yankees, but argued that Cohen’s enormous wealth should mean the Mets should never retreat.

Michael Kay skewered the Mets for skimping in free agency this offseason.

“Now, I always have to really dance very gingerly around this because I will be labeled ‘Yankee Boy,’ for my take, but I don’t think the Mets have anything to be proud about, the way they handled this offseason,” Kay said, as covered by Awful Announcing .

“You took the one thing with Steve Cohen that puts you above and beyond everybody else — your one great advantage — and you didn’t exercise it. You can’t tell me that if you went out and got Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery and signed J.D. Martinez as your designated hitter, you wouldn’t be projected for 90 wins — 10 more wins. There’s no way.”

Instead, the Mets are projected to be a middling team.

In the latest odds on FanDuel, the Mets have an over/under total of 82.5 wins, juiced -115 to the under; at +148 to make the playoffs and -192 to miss, the implied odds of a postseason berth are about 38 percent.

They are 50-1 to win the World Series.

“You look at the starting rotation they have going into the season and what they have done offensively — which is nothing — they’re derelict in their duty,” Kay continued.

Mets owner Steve Cohen at spring training on Monday.

“This is a man who bought the team and said he was going to win a championship within five years. This is Year 4; they ain’t winning a championship this year, and everybody keeps [going], ‘Well, there’s a plan.’ Well, what’s the plan?”

Co-host Don La Greca gave the Mets more of a pass for focusing energy on rebuilding their minor league system after blockbuster signings like Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander failed to pan out, and credited the Mets for cutting bait .

“I think you’re being overly harsh,” La Greca told Kay.

La Greca acknowledged that the Mets are “stuck” this season but speculated that they are “gearing up for next offseason” when there is a better free agency class.

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  3. What Is A DH In Baseball? Designated Hitter Rule Explained

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  4. Baseball Designated Hitter Rules

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  5. 40 years later, ranking the greatest Designated Hitters

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  6. The History of the Designated Hitter: Baseball’s Most Debated Position

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COMMENTS

  1. Designated hitter

    The designated hitter ( DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. In Major League Baseball, the position is authorized by Rule 5.11 of the Official Baseball Rules. [2] It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and by the National League in 2022, making it universal in MLB. [3]

  2. Designated hitter Definition & Meaning

    1 : a baseball player designated at the start of the game to bat in place of the pitcher without causing the pitcher to be removed from the game 2 : representative, substitute Synonyms backup cover fill-in locum tenens pinch hitter relief replacement reserve stand-in sub substitute See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

  3. Designated Hitter

    The designated hitter -- or "DH" -- is a player who bats in place of the pitcher. The pitcher still handles his regular duties when his team is on defense, so the designated hitter does not play in the field. The rule was adopted by the American League in 1973, while pitchers continued to hit in games played at National League parks.

  4. DESIGNATED HITTER

    Word of the Day UK /ˈkɪd.əʊ/ US /ˈkɪd.oʊ/ used as a friendly way of speaking to a child or young person, especially one you know well To top Contents DESIGNATED HITTER definition: 1. in baseball, a player who takes a turn to bat (= try to hit the ball) instead of the pitcher…. Learn more.

  5. DESIGNATED HITTER Definition & Usage Examples

    DESIGNATED HITTER Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com designated hitter See synonyms for designated hitter on Thesaurus.com nounBaseball. a hitter selected prior to the start of the game to bat for the starting pitcher and all subsequent pitchers without otherwise affecting the status of the pitchers in the game. Abbreviation: DH, dh

  6. Designated hitter

    /ˌdɛzɪgˈneɪdɪd ˌhɪdər/ IPA guide Definitions of designated hitter noun a ballplayer who is designated to bat in place of the pitcher see more Cite this entry Style: MLA "Designated hitter." Vocabulary.com Dictionary, Vocabulary.com, https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/designated hitter. Accessed 10 Feb. 2024. Copy citation VocabTrainer™

  7. designated hitter

    noun [ C ] uk / ˈhɪt.ə r/ us / ˈhɪt̬.ɚ / in baseball, the player whose turn it is to hit ... See more at hitter (Definition of hitter from the Cambridge English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Examples of designated hitter designated hitter He mainly played outfield and designated hitter throughout his 12-year major league career. From

  8. Definition of 'designated hitter'

    Definition of 'designated hitter' designated hitter Word forms: designated hitters plural countable noun In baseball, a designated hitter is a player who bats in place of the pitcher. Baker said he will use Shawon Dunston as his designated hitter tonight. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

  9. Designated hitter definition and meaning

    Definition of 'designated hitter' designated hitter Word forms: designated hitters plural countable noun In baseball, a designated hitter is a player who bats in place of the pitcher. Baker said he will use Shawon Dunston as his designated hitter tonight. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

  10. Designated hitter Definition & Meaning

    Designated hitter definition, a hitter selected prior to the start of the game to bat for the starting pitcher and all subsequent pitchers without otherwise affecting the status of the pitchers in the game. Abbreviation: DH, dh See more.

  11. designated-hitter noun

    (in baseball) a player who is named at the start of the game as the person who will hit the ball in place of the pitcher Definitions on the go Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary app. See designated hitter in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

  12. Designated Hitter Rule

    Definition The designated hitter rule allows teams to use another player to bat in place of the pitcher. Because the pitcher is still part of the team's nine defensive players, the designated hitter -- or "DH" -- does not take the field on defense.

  13. Designated hitter Definition & Meaning

    Britannica Dictionary definition of DESIGNATED HITTER. [count] baseball. : a player who is chosen at the beginning of a game to bat in the place of the pitcher and who does not play a position in the field. — called also DH. ASK THE EDITOR. the quality or state of being the same. DESIGNATED HITTER meaning: a player who is chosen at the ...

  14. designated hitter

    designated hitter Contents 1 English 1.1 Noun 1.1.1 Synonyms 1.2 See also English [ edit] Noun [ edit] designated hitter (plural designated hitters) ( baseball) A batter who is permitted to substitute for a pitcher in the batting rotation for the duration of a baseball game.

  15. What is a Designated Hitter (DH) in Baseball?

    The designated only bats, and does not field. In Major League Baseball, it is a rule (5.11) that lets teams use a different rostered player to hit in the pitcher's place in the order. The rule changes nothing on defense, as the pitcher remains in the game and the DH only hits. Note that in the MLB, only pitchers can be DH'd for.

  16. Designated Hitter Definition & Meaning

    Designated Hitter definition: A player designated at the start of a game to bat instead of the pitcher in the lineup.

  17. Designated Hitter Baseball Dictionary

    designated hitter — Baseball Dictionary A Definition of Designated Hitter | Baseball Almanac The Dickson Baseball Dictionary is an absolutely invaluable resource for those who love the game of baseball.

  18. designated hitter

    designated hitter - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free.

  19. Designated hitter

    Define designated hitter. designated hitter synonyms, designated hitter pronunciation, designated hitter translation, English dictionary definition of designated hitter. n. Abbr. DH Baseball A player designated at the start of a game to bat instead of the pitcher in the lineup. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English...

  20. What Is A Designated Hitter (DH) In Baseball? Definition & Meaning

    The designated hitter (DH) is a player whose sole purpose during a game is to permanently hit and run the bases for a defensive player, usually the pitcher. The designated hitter in Major League Baseball is only allowed in the American League. However, the designated hitter is allowed to be used against and by National League teams in certain ...

  21. hitter noun

    Definition of hitter noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. ... designated hitter noun; big hitter; heavy hitter; Nearby words. hit piece noun; hit squad noun; hitter noun; hit up phrasal verb; hit up for phrasal verb; exploration.

  22. MLB Insider Drops Hints on Mets' 2024 Plans at Designated Hitter

    Designated hitter has been an area of concern for the Mets since the Universal DH rule went into effect at the start of 2022. The hitters used for this position have combined to hit .223/.309/.374 ...

  23. Definitions of designated hitter

    Quick definitions from Wiktionary (designated hitter) noun: a ballplayer who is designated to bat in place of the pitcher noun: (baseball) A batter who is permitted to substitute for a pitcher in the batting rotation for the duration of a baseball game. noun: (colloquial) A person who is asked to substitute for another in handling a portion of a task for which the other is less capable.

  24. Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton turns page on career-worst season

    TAMPA, Florida -- New York Yankees designated hitter/outfielder Giancarlo Stanton says he has turned the page on a rough 2023 season and flushed it down the toilet. "I gotta change the narrative ...

  25. Michael Kay skewers Mets' offseason: 'Derelict in their duty'

    Michael Kay laid the lumber to the Mets for their paltry spending this offseason. While the Mets have signed veterans like Harrison Bader and Luis Severino on short-term deals this winter, they ...