Hold (baseball)

For the process of keeping baseball runners from advancing bases, see baserunner hold.
Arthur Rhodes, long-time lefty specialist reliever, is second all-time in holds.

A hold (abbreviated HLD, H or HD) is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following three conditions:

  1. Enters the game in a save situation; that is, when all of the following three conditions apply:
    1. He appears in relief (i.e., is not the starting pitcher) when his team is leading; and
    2. He is not the winning pitcher; and
    3. He qualifies under one of the following conditions:
      1. He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and maintains that lead for at least one inning
      2. He enters the game with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat, or on deck
      3. He pitches for at least three innings;
  2. Records at least one out;
  3. Leaves the game before it has ended without his team having relinquished the lead at any point and does not record a save.

The hold is not an official Major League Baseball statistic.[1]

  1. ^ MLB Miscellany: Rules, regulations and statistics
    The hold is not an official statistic, but it was created as a way to credit middle relief pitchers for a job well done. Starting pitchers get wins, and closers -- the relief pitchers who come in at the end of the game -- get saves, but the guys who pitch in between the two rarely get either statistic. So what's the most important thing one of these middle relievers can do? "Hold" a lead. If a reliever comes into a game to protect a lead, gets at least one out, and leaves without giving up that lead, he gets a hold. But you can't get a save and a hold at the same time.