wild pitch

American  

[wahyld pich] / ˈwaɪld ˈpɪtʃ /

noun

Baseball.

1. a pitched ball that the catcher misses and could not be expected to catch, allowing one or more base runners to advance one or more bases.

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wild pitch Idioms  

1. A careless statement or action, as in Calling comic books great literature—that's a wild pitch. This term comes from baseball, where it signifies a pitched ball so far off target that the catcher misses it, enabling a base runner to advance. [Mid-1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of wild pitch

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Compare meaning

How does wild-pitch compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• passed ball vs. wild pitch

Example Sentences

Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler went after López following a high-and-tight wild pitch in the fifth.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

A wild pitch from McLean left Venezuela with runners on second and third base and on the next pitch Kansas City Royals slugger Maikel Garcia's sacrifice fly allowed Perez to score.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

George Springer led off with a base hit, was bunted over to second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch.

From BBC • Nov. 2, 2025

Tatis advanced to second base on a 98.3-mph wild pitch and third on a single that Arraiz hit off a 98-mph sinker.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2025

A wild pitch is a ball thrown by the pitcher out of the fair reach of the catcher, and on which a base-runner gains a base.

From Base-Ball How to Become a Player by Ward, John M.