Middle relief pitcher

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (May 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

In baseball, middle relief pitchers, or middle relievers, are relief pitchers who typically pitch during the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.^[1] In leagues with no designated hitter, such as the National League, a middle reliever often comes in after the starting pitcher has been pulled in favor of a pinch hitter. Middle relief pitchers are usually replaced in the eighth or ninth inning by a left-handed specialist, setup pitcher, or closer, but a middle reliever sometimes works these innings as well, especially during games which are not close.

References[]