What is a Hold in Baseball? Definition, Criteria, and Example

What is a Hold in Baseball?

A hold is a statistic awarded to a relief pitcher who enters a game in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves the game without having surrendered the lead. It is the unofficial equivalent of a save for setup pitchers and middle relievers — pitchers who protect a lead in the seventh or eighth inning but do not finish the game. The hold was invented in the 1980s by baseball writer John Dewan and was formally adopted by MLB in 1999 as an official statistic.

The hold is not a "save" because the pitcher does not finish the game, and it is not a "win" because the pitcher's team is already ahead. It exists to credit the often-unsung work of setup relievers who pitch in high-leverage situations before the closer enters.

How is a Hold Calculated?

A hold has four criteria, all of which must be met:

1. The pitcher enters the game in a save situation — meaning his team leads by three runs or fewer, or the tying run is on base, at bat, or on deck.

2. The pitcher records at least one out (a strikeout, flyout, groundout, or any defensive putout while he is on the mound).

3. The pitcher leaves the game without surrendering the lead — he cannot give up enough runs to tie the game or fall behind.

4. The pitcher is not the winning pitcher — if he leaves with the lead and his team never loses it, he is credited with a hold, not a win.

There is no limit to how many holds a pitcher can record in a season, and there is no minimum number of batters faced beyond the single out requirement. A pitcher can record a hold by facing one batter and getting him out, even if he then gets removed from the game.

Worked Example: Tyler Rogers in 2024

Consider San Francisco Giants reliever Tyler Rogers, who recorded 32 holds in 2024. In a game on July 14, 2024, Rogers entered the game in the 8th inning with the Giants leading 4–2. The tying run was on deck — a save situation. Rogers faced three batters, allowing one hit but no runs, and recorded two outs before being replaced by closer Camilo Doval. Because Rogers entered in a save situation, recorded at least one out, and left with the lead intact, he was credited with a hold. His team won the game, and Doval earned the save.

Why Does the Hold Matter?

The hold matters because it quantifies the value of setup relievers who are often invisible in traditional box scores. A pitcher who consistently records holds is protecting leads in high-leverage situations — the seventh and eighth innings of close games — and their performance directly impacts win probability. For front offices, holds are a secondary indicator of bullpen depth and reliever reliability. For fantasy baseball players, holds are a category in many roto and points leagues, giving value to pitchers who would otherwise be worthless in standard 5x5 formats.

For card games like Legends Deck, holds are a key component of a reliever's Leverage Rating — the card's effectiveness in high-pressure situations. A pitcher with a high hold count is likely to perform better in the seventh and eighth innings of simulated games, making them valuable cards for players who want to protect leads before the closer enters.

Limitations and Common Misconceptions

The hold has several limitations. First, it is entirely situational — a pitcher can record a hold by facing one batter and getting a routine flyout, while another pitcher who pitches two dominant innings in the same game but enters with a five-run lead gets no hold because the situation was not a save situation. Second, the hold does not account for the quality of the performance — a pitcher who allows two runs but still preserves a three-run lead records a hold, while a pitcher who allows zero runs but enters with a four-run lead records nothing.

A common misconception is that a hold is the same as a "setup" — but a hold can be recorded in the sixth, seventh, eighth, or even ninth inning, as long as the pitcher does not finish the game. Another misconception is that a pitcher can earn a hold and a win in the same game — this is impossible, as the criteria explicitly exclude the winning pitcher.

Related Terms

• What is a Save?
• What is a Blown Save?
• What is a Setup Man?
• What is a Middle Reliever?
• What is Leverage Index?

In Legends Deck

In Legends Deck, holds are factored into a reliever's Stamina and Clutch ratings. Pitchers with high hold totals — like Tyler Rogers, Bryan Abreu, and Matt Strahm — receive boosts to their Clutch rating, which increases their effectiveness in late-inning, high-leverage situations during simulated games. This makes them essential cards for building a dominant bullpen that can protect leads in the seventh and eighth innings.