Hold (baseball) - Wikipedia

Baseball statistic For the process of keeping baseball runners from advancing bases, see baserunner hold.

A hold (abbreviated HLD, H or HD) is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following three conditions:

1. Enters the game in a save situation; that is, when all of the following three conditions apply:
   1. He appears in relief (i.e., is not the starting pitcher) when his team is leading; and
   2. He is not the winning pitcher; and
   3. He qualifies under one of the following conditions:
      1. He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and maintains that lead for at least one out
      2. He enters the game with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat, or on deck
2. Records at least one out;
3. Leaves the game before it has ended without his team having relinquished the lead at any point and does not record a save.

The hold is not an official Major League Baseball statistic.[1]

Description

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Unlike saves, wins, and losses, more than one pitcher per team can earn a hold for a game, though it is not possible for a pitcher to receive more than one hold in a given game. A pitcher can receive a hold by protecting a lead even if that lead is lost by a later pitcher after his exit.

The hold was invented in 1986 by John Dewan and Mike O'Donnell to give a statistical measure of the effectiveness of the vast majority of relief pitchers who are afforded few opportunities to close a game. While middle relievers earn their share, holds are most often credited to setup pitchers.

In 1994, PA SportsTicker created an alternate definition for a hold, removing the requirement that a pitcher needs to make an out in order to record a hold.[2] In 2009, STATS LLC purchased PA SportsTicker,[citation needed] and the alternate definition is no longer in use.

While holds are not an official MLB statistic, they are increasingly visible in many box scores, including espn.com and MLB.com. Many fantasy baseball providers also include holds as an optional category that can be included in customized leagues.

Career leaders

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The career leaders are listed based on total holds according to MLB.com,[3] which records the statistic only from 1999 onwards.

Stats updated through the end of the 2025 season. Key

Rank	Ranking of the player all-time
Player	Name of the player
Holds	Career Holds
Years	The years this player played in the major leagues
†	Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
*	Denotes pitcher who is still active
L	Denotes pitcher who is left-handed

Rank	Player	Holds	Years
1	Tony WatsonL	246	2011–2021
2	Arthur RhodesL	231	1991–2011
3	Joe Smith	228	2007–2024
4	Tyler Clippard	226	2007–2022
5	Joaquín Benoit	211	2001–2017
6	David Robertson	206	2008–2025
	Matt ThorntonL	206	2004–2016
8	Sergio Romo	204	2008–2022
9	Adam Ottavino*	195	2010–present
10	Luke Gregerson	189	2009–2019

Baseball statistics sites such as Baseball-Reference.com[4] and The Baseball Cube[5] credit holds to players in games played before 1999 based on the record of the game situation when the pitcher entered and left the game. However, the hold totals do not always agree from site to site, or with MLB.com from 1999 onward.

The following players who began their Major League careers before 1999 would be among the career leaders if MLB had recorded the statistic in games before the 1999 season. They are listed here with hold totals as calculated by Baseball-Reference.com.[6]

Player	Holds**	Years
Mike StantonL	266	1989–2007
Arthur RhodesL	231	1991–2011
Alan EmbreeL	194	1992–2009
Jesse OroscoL	185	1979–2003
LaTroy Hawkins	184	1995–2015
Paul AssenmacherL	180	1986–1999
Mike Jackson	179	1986–2004
Dan PlesacL	179	1986–2003
Bob Howry	178	1998–2010
Jeff Nelson	177	1992–2006
Paul Quantrill	177	1992–2005
Mike Timlin	172	1991–2008
Buddy GroomL	171	1992–2005
Steve Reed	168	1992–2005
Rick HoneycuttL	165	1977–1997
Mike MyersL	163	1995–2007

** as calculated by Baseball-reference.com to include years before 1999.

Single season record

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The single-season MLB record for holds is 41, established by Joel Peralta in 2013 pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays and equaled by Tony Watson in 2015 pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Peralta surpassed the previous record of 40 holds set by Luke Gregerson in 2010 with the San Diego Padres.[7]

See also

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• Baseball statistics

References

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1. ^ MLB Miscellany: Rules, regulations, and statisticsThe hold is not an official statistic, but it was created as a way to credit middle relief pitchers for a job well done. Starting pitchers get wins, and closers -- the relief pitchers who come in at the end of the game -- get saves, but the guys who pitch in between the two rarely get either statistic. So what's the most important thing one of these middle relievers can do? "Hold" a lead. If a reliever comes into a game to protect a lead, gets at least one out, and leaves without giving up that lead, he gets a hold. But you can't get a save and a hold at the same time.
2. ^ "ESPN.com: MLB - FAQ and other stuff". ESPN.
3. ^ "MLB Player Stats > Pitching > Holds". Major League Baseball. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
4. ^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/ Baseball-Reference.com
5. ^ http://www.thebaseballcube.com The Baseball Cube
6. ^ "Career Leaders & Records for Holds". StatHead.
7. ^ "Sortable Player Stats". Major League Baseball.

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Batting	Batting average On-base percentage Slugging percentage Hit Single Double Triple Home run Extra-base hit Hits per run Grand slam Total bases RBI Game-winning RBI Walk Bunt Sacrifice bunt Sacrifice fly On-base plus slugging Times on base Walk-to-strikeout ratio Walk percentage
Base running	Run Stolen base Stolen base percentage Caught stealing
Pitching	Win–loss record Innings pitched Save Hold Run Earned ERA Strikeout Looking Walk Perfect game No-hitter WHIP BB/9 K/9 Quality start Complete game Shutout Wild pitch Strikeout-to-walk ratio Maddux
Fielding	Fielding percentage Assist Putout Error Total chances Fielder's choice Defensive indifference Passed ball
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v t e Major League Baseball records
Baseball statistics (types of records)
General	Career records Single-game records Single-season records Record breakers by season Records considered unbreakable Titles leaders
Battingleaders	Career Batting average Hits 3,000 club Progressive At bats Singles Doubles Triples Home runs 500 club 600 club Progressive Pitchers Extra base hits RBIs Walks Intentional On-base percentage Slugging percentage OPS Times on base Total bases HBP Strikeouts Plate appearances Games played Annual Batting average Doubles Triples Home runs RBI Season Batting average Doubles Triples Home run Progressive Game Home runs Game Inning Hitting for the cycle Grand slams RBI Game Inning Hits Misc Consecutive game hitting streak Hits Home runs Doubles Triples RBIs
Baserunningleaders	Career Runs Stolen bases Annual Runs Stolen bases Game Runs Misc Runs Stolen bases
Pitchingleaders	Career Wins 300 club Losses Games started Games finished Innings pitched Strikeouts 3,000 club Hold Saves 300 club Complete games Shutouts ERA FIP WHIP Walks Hit batsmen Wild pitches Batters faced Annual Wins Saves Shutouts Strikeouts ERA Season Wins Losses Strikeouts Game No-hitters Perfect games Strikeouts Game Inning Immaculate innings Misc Consecutive scoreless innings streak Wins
Fieldingleaders	Career Games played P C 1B 2B 3B SS OF LF CF RF Putouts Assists Double plays Errors Passed balls Annual Putouts Assists Errors
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