Baseball Glossary › Hold
Hold (HLD)
A hold (HLD) is credited to a relief pitcher who enters in a save situation, records at least one out and leaves without giving up the lead. He must enter with a lead of three runs or fewer, or with the tying run on deck, at bat or on base. It credits setup men.
What to Know
Hold vs save: a save goes to the pitcher who finishes the win. A hold goes to a reliever who protects the lead earlier and passes it on. If the reliever gives up the tying run instead, he is charged with a blown save. MLB notes that every save opportunity in which a pitcher records an out ends in one of those three.
A pitcher cannot get a win or a save in a game where he records a hold, but several relievers can each earn a hold in the same game. It is even possible to get a hold and a loss: a reliever can leave with the lead and later see runners he left on base score the tying and go-ahead runs.
The hold was created in the 1980s by statisticians John Dewan and Mike O'Donnell to value setup men. It is not one of the scoring rules in the Official Baseball Rules, but MLB publishes it as a standard stat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hold in baseball?
A hold is a relief pitching stat. A reliever earns one by entering in a save situation, recording at least one out and leaving the game with his team's lead still intact for the next pitcher.
How do you get a hold in baseball?
Enter the game with a lead of three runs or fewer, or with the tying run on deck, at bat or on base, record at least one out, and hand the lead to the next reliever without giving it up.
What constitutes a hold in baseball?
Two things: the reliever enters in a save situation, and he maintains the lead while getting at least one out. He also cannot finish the game, since the pitcher who finishes would be in line for the save.
Can more than one pitcher get a hold in a game?
Yes. Several relievers can each earn a hold in the same game if each enters in a save situation, records an out and passes the lead along.
Can a pitcher get a hold and a loss?
Yes. If a reliever leaves with the lead and runners on base, and those runners later score the tying and go-ahead runs, he can be credited with a hold and also charged with the loss.
Is the hold an official MLB stat?
MLB tracks and publishes holds, but the hold is not one of the scoring rules in the Official Baseball Rules. It was created in the 1980s by John Dewan and Mike O'Donnell.
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Sources
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