Baseball Glossary › Assist
Assist (A)
An assist (A) is credited to each fielder who touches the ball before a teammate records the putout. Usually the assist comes from a throw, such as a shortstop throwing to first on a ground ball, but any touch counts, even an accidental deflection. A fielder can earn at most one assist on a single out.
What to Know
Assist vs putout: the putout belongs to whoever completes the out, and the assist belongs to whoever helped before that. On a 6-3 groundout the shortstop (6) earns the assist and the first baseman (3) the putout. On a 6-4-3 double play the shortstop gets an assist, the second baseman gets a putout at second and an assist for his relay, and the first baseman gets a putout.
Most ground-ball outs include an assist, while fly-ball outs usually do not. Outfielders collect assists when they throw out a runner trying to advance, which is why an outfield assist is a highlight. Pitchers are not credited with an assist on a strikeout, and a fielder who touches the ball twice in a rundown still receives only one assist for that out.
Assists, putouts and errors add up to total chances. Assists also feed range factor, which counts plays made per game.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an assist in baseball?
An assist is credited to a fielder who touches the ball before another fielder records the out. The classic example is an infielder fielding a grounder and throwing to first: the infielder gets the assist and the first baseman gets the putout.
What does A mean in baseball fielding stats?
In a fielding stat line, A stands for assists. It sits next to PO (putouts) and E (errors), and together those three numbers make up total chances and fielding percentage.
Can more than one player get an assist on the same play?
Yes. Every fielder who touches the ball before the putout earns an assist. On a relay throw from the outfield to the cutoff man to home plate, both the outfielder and the cutoff man are credited with assists.
Does a pitcher get an assist on a strikeout?
No. On a strikeout the catcher is credited with the putout and the pitcher does not receive an assist. A pitcher earns assists by fielding a ball and throwing it to a teammate who records the out.
What is an outfield assist?
An outfield assist happens when an outfielder throws out a baserunner, for example a right fielder throwing out a runner trying to go from first to third. It shows arm strength and accuracy and is far less common than infield assists.
Do you get an assist if the ball just bounces off you?
Yes, contact counts even if it was unintentional. If a line drive deflects off the pitcher to the shortstop, who throws the batter out, both the pitcher and the shortstop are credited with an assist.
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