pinch hitter

American  

noun

1. Baseball. a substitute who bats for a teammate, often at a critical moment of the game.

2. any substitute for another, especially in an emergency.

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pinch hitter Idioms  

1. A substitute for another person, especially in an emergency. For example, Pat expected her mother to help with the baby, but just in case, she lined up her mother-in-law as pinch hitter. This expression comes from baseball, where it is used for a player substituting for another at bat at a critical point or in a tight situation (called a pinch since the late 1400s). [Late 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of pinch hitter

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

Example Sentences

With two outs and the tying run on first in the top of the ninth, he sent Chaney up to the plate as a pinch hitter.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

He celebrated his 28th birthday on Friday by entering in the seventh inning as a pinch hitter and banging a game-tying single on his first-ever postseason swing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 11, 2025

Miguel Rojas, an infielder, was deployed as a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth inning and remained in the game at shortstop.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2025

The Astros’ Josh Hader struck out pinch hitter Ryan Bliss and then Mitch Haniger to escape.

From Seattle Times • May 29, 2024

Can’t I have a pinch hitter to take me home?

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• backup
• designated hitter
• replacement