What is a hold in baseball?

A hold (abbreviated as HD) is a statistic in baseball that is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following conditions:

• He enters the game in a <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/save%20situation">save situation</a>, meaning he is the first reliever to enter the game with a chance to earn a <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/save">save</a>.
• He records at least one out.
• He exits the game without the lead being lost and without completing the game.
• He is not the winning pitcher.
• He is not charged with a blown save.

In simpler terms, a hold is awarded when a relief pitcher successfully bridges the gap between the starting pitcher and the <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/closer">closer</a> in a close game. The pitcher has to perform well enough to maintain the lead and hand the game over to the next pitcher in a <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/save%20situation">save situation</a>. It recognizes the importance of effective middle relief pitching in a team's success.