automatic runner

American

[aw-tuh-mat-ik ruhn-er] / ˈɔ təˌmæt ɪk ˈrʌn ər /

noun

Baseball, Softball.

Also called ghost runner. a runner who is automatically placed on second base at the beginning of each half of an extra inning, before any pitch is thrown.

Etymology

Origin of automatic runner

First recorded in 1980–85; added to Major League Baseball rules of play in 2020

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.

See Examples For:

automatic runner

Pinch-hitter Cavan Biggio then opened the bottom of the 11th with a sacrifice bunt to advance automatic runner Kiké Hernández to third.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2024

With automatic runner Will Smith at second, Max Muncy was intentionally walked to open the 11th.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2024

Seattle took advantage of the good fortune, taking lead in the top of the 10th on Crawford’s RBI single to score automatic runner Jorge Polanco from second.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 21, 2024

He gave up an infield single to Blackmon that moved Jacob Stallings, the automatic runner, to third base.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 21, 2024

Harold Castro, who began the inning as the automatic runner on second, scored the go-ahead run when Chafin walked Cole Tucker on four pitches.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 9, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023