relief pitcher

noun

Baseball.

1. a pitcher brought into a game to replace another pitcher, often in a critical situation.

2. a pitcher regularly so used, as opposed to one who regularly starts games.

relief pitcher

noun

1. Also called: reliever. baseball a pitcher who replaces a side's main pitcher during a game

Word History and Origins

Origin of relief pitcher¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

No role in baseball has undergone more of a transformation than that of a relief pitcher.

From Los Angeles Times

The back-and-forth animosity on the field came to a peak Thursday when Dodgers relief pitcher Jack Little hit Fernando Tatis Jr. with a pitch in the ninth inning.

From Los Angeles Times

The relief pitcher, 27, was struck on the side of the face when the Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman accidentally hit the ball into the home dugout at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.

From BBC

Starting pitcher Landon Stump couldn’t get through the fifth, but the Bruins’ relief pitchers carried the brunt of the battle to shut out the Roadrunners.

From Los Angeles Times

So did Clark against relief pitcher Ethan Russell in the bottom of the ninth.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bullpen 
• reliever 
• stopper