relief pitcher
Americannoun
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a pitcher brought into a game to replace another pitcher, often in a critical situation.
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a pitcher regularly so used, as opposed to one who regularly starts games.
noun
Etymology
Origin of relief pitcher
First recorded in 1945–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Relief pitcher Blake Treinen, one of the longest-tenured players on the Dodgers heading into his seventh season with the team, did not mince words when asked about how outsiders view the organization.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026
Relief pitcher Penn Murfee, on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, is rehabbing at the Mariners complex in Peoria, Arizona.
From Seattle Times • May 12, 2023
Relief pitcher Sean Doolittle, a member of the 2019 championship team on his second stint with the franchise, called the news surprising but said he doesn’t expect the development to be a distraction.
From Washington Post • Apr. 11, 2022
Relief pitcher Shane Greene is the only former teammate of Freeman’s currently in the Dodgers clubhouse, after signing a minor league deal with the team this week.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2022
Relief pitcher Burch Smith entered the game for Oakland and had to take over with the bases loaded and no outs in the inning.
From Fox News • Aug. 17, 2021
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
