We are reader supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Also, as an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Relief pitchers decide tight games, yet their work often happens before the final out. The hold stat was built to capture that middle-inning value. If you watch baseball and see a setup man protect a small lead, you have seen the core idea behind a hold. This guide explains what a hold is, how it is awarded, where it helps, where it falls short, and how to read it alongside stronger measures of relief performance. You will leave with a clear framework you can use on box scores, broadcasts, and fantasy rosters alike.
What is a Hold HLD
A hold is a relief pitching stat that credits a reliever who protects a lead in a save situation without finishing the game. It exists to recognize setup work that precedes a save.
By design, a hold lives in the middle of the game. It tells you a reliever handled pressure and handed the ball off with the lead still alive. It does not require a win. It does not require that the team keeps the lead after he leaves. It only cares about what he did in that stint and whether the lead remained intact when he exited.
The official criteria in plain language
Most scoring services and MLB box scores apply the same template. A reliever earns a hold when all of the following happen.
He enters in a save situation. That means one of these is true when he takes the mound. His team leads by three runs or fewer. Or the potential tying run is on base, at bat, or on deck.
He records at least one out.
He leaves the game with his team still leading.
He does not finish the game.
He is not the winning or losing pitcher.
He is not charged with a blown save. If the runs charged to him later erase the lead, the hold disappears and he gets a blown save instead.
Is a hold an official MLB stat
The hold is widely tracked on MLB.com, broadcasts, and in team notes, but it is not an official statistic in the rule book. That said, it is a standard line in every box score and has decades of consistent usage. For fans, analysts, and fantasy managers, it behaves like a core bullpen stat.
Why the hold exists
Closers are judged by saves. Starters by wins, innings, and run prevention. Setup relievers also decide games, but many never get the final three outs. The hold gives shape to that job. It credits the pitcher who protects a one- or two-run lead in the seventh or eighth inning, faces the middle of the opposing order, and passes the game to the closer.
In modern bullpens, teams often deploy their best non-closer in the highest-leverage pocket before the ninth. The hold captures that trust and that result. In fantasy baseball, leagues often use saves plus holds to value elite setup arms who lack the save title yet pitch in the same pressure.
How a hold is earned step by step
Scenario 1 small lead, clean handoff
Your team leads 4-3 after six. The starter is done. Reliever A starts the seventh, faces three batters, gets two outs, allows a single, then induces a ground ball to end the inning. He entered in a save situation, recorded an out, left with the lead, and did not finish the game. He earns a hold.
Reliever B pitches the eighth with the same 4-3 lead and posts three outs. He also entered in a save situation and left with the lead. He earns a hold.
The closer finishes the ninth and gets a save. Two holds plus one save in the same game.
Scenario 2 tying run on base
It is the seventh. Your team leads 6-4. There is one out. There are runners on first and second. The tying run is on base. Reliever A enters, strikes out the next two batters, and ends the threat. He entered in a save situation because the potential tying run stood on base. He recorded outs and left with the lead. He earns a hold.
Scenario 3 rough outing, hold still possible
It is the eighth. Your team leads 5-2. Reliever A starts the inning, gives up a walk and a double, then gets a ground out that scores a run. Now it is 5-3. He gets a strikeout and is lifted with two outs and a runner on third. He entered in a save situation because the lead was three runs or fewer. He recorded at least one out. He left with his team still leading. If the next pitcher retires the last batter and the runs charged to Reliever A do not erase the lead, A earns a hold. This is the blunt reality of the stat. A reliever can pitch poorly and still get a hold if he meets the checkboxes.
Scenario 4 how a hold vanishes
Same setup as Scenario 3, but now the next pitcher gives up a home run and the game is tied 5-5. Because the tying runs were charged to Reliever A, A is charged with a blown save. He does not get a hold.
Scenario 5 team loses anyway
Reliever A gets three outs in the seventh with a 3-2 lead and earns a hold. Reliever B gets three outs in the eighth with the same lead and earns a hold. In the ninth, the closer gives up a two-run homer and the team loses 4-3. Both holds still count. A hold is about preserving a lead while the pitcher is in the game. It is not erased by a later collapse by a different pitcher.
Core rules and edge cases
The save situation test
The save situation for a hold uses the same pressure thresholds as a save. The entering reliever must face either a lead of three runs or fewer, or a game state where the potential tying run is on base, at bat, or on deck. The inning does not matter for holds. A reliever can enter in the sixth with a two-run lead and still be in a save situation for the purposes of a hold.
One out is mandatory
A reliever who throws a single pitch and induces an inning-ending pickoff or caught stealing without recording an out does not earn a hold. He must get at least one out credited to his pitching line.
No finishing the game
A pitcher who records the final out cannot get a hold. If he closes out a save situation and finishes the game, he is eligible for a save, not a hold.
No win, no loss
A pitcher cannot be the winning or losing pitcher and also get a hold. If he becomes the pitcher of record for the win, the hold disappears. If he is charged with the loss, there is no hold.
Multiple holds in one game
Several relievers can earn holds in the same game as long as each one separately meets the criteria. One pitcher cannot earn more than one hold in a single game.
Blown save conflicts
A hold and a blown save cannot go to the same pitcher in the same game. If the lead is erased by runs charged to a reliever, he is charged with a blown save and cannot also receive a hold.
Three batter minimum
Under the three batter minimum rule, a reliever must face three batters or finish the half-inning unless he is injured or ill. Holds still work under this rule. It mainly reduces one-batter cameos but does not change the core hold criteria.
What a hold tells you
It confirms the manager trusted the reliever in a high-impact spot. It confirms the reliever kept the lead. It shows who bridged the gap to the endgame. In the rhythm of a series, holds help you track who is pitching in leverage before the ninth. That has value for reading roles, for scouting late-inning matchups, and for setting fantasy lineups when saves are scarce.
What a hold does not tell you
Not all holds share the same pressure
A clean eighth with the bottom of the lineup can be less stressful than entering with two on and one out and the heart of the order up. Both can be holds. Without context, the stat alone cannot separate those levels of difficulty.
Quality of contact and traffic
A reliever can walk two, allow a deep fly ball, and still escape. Another can give up a softly hit single and a bloop that happens to score a run. One might get a hold, the other might not, even if the one who missed bats pitched better. The hold is outcome based. It ignores how the outs happened.
Inherited runner risk
Sometimes a reliever leaves runners for the next pitcher. If those runners score and erase the lead, the earlier reliever loses the hold and is charged with a blown save. If they score but the lead remains, the hold stands, yet the performance was shaky. That is why holds need context.
Defense and park effects
Ballparks, weather, and defense change batted ball outcomes. A hold does not adjust for those forces. If you want skill signal, add process metrics to your view.
Measuring relief performance beyond holds
Inherited runners and strand rate
Look at inherited runners and how many scored. These two numbers live in most box scores.
IR is inherited runners. IRS is inherited runners scored. IRS percentage is IRS divided by IR. The lower the percentage, the better the reliever is at stranding runners he inherits. A setup man who strands traffic is worth more than one who consistently allows inherited runners to score. Holds do not encode this, but IRS percentage does.
Leverage index
Leverage index measures how important a plate appearance is to win expectancy. A leverage of 1.0 is average. Above 1.0 is higher pressure. Below 1.0 is lower pressure. There are flavors of this metric.
gmLI is the leverage when a pitcher enters the game. pLI is the average leverage across all batters he faces. Entering leverage tells you how big the moment was when the manager called his name. Average leverage tells you the mix of moments he handled. Compare holds alongside leverage to learn whether a pitcher is protecting leads in real heat or coasting in softer pockets.
Win probability added WPA
WPA estimates how much a player moves his team’s win chance during his appearance. Positive WPA means he pushed the win chance higher. Negative WPA means he hurt it. A hold with a strong positive WPA signals real impact. A hold with a tiny or negative WPA can happen in low-pressure events or sloppy escapes.
Run expectancy based value RE24
RE24 values a pitcher’s work by the change in run expectancy across all base-out states. It captures sequencing and context. A reliever who halts threats will grade well. RE24 is good for trend reading across weeks because it smooths out small sample noise better than ERA for relievers.
Shutdowns and meltdowns
This framework tags relief outings by their swing in win probability. A shutdown is an outing that increases team win probability by at least six percentage points. A meltdown is an outing that decreases it by at least six points. Over time, you want relievers with many more shutdowns than meltdowns. This aligns with how managers feel the game rather than with saves only.
Strikeouts, walks, and contact quality
K percentage and BB percentage set the floor. K minus BB percentage isolates command and miss. Higher is better. Ground ball rate helps keep the ball in the park. Home run rate matters more in tight leads. Fielding independent metrics such as FIP and xFIP filter out defense and sequencing. Use them to judge skill apart from noise. Holds sit at the results end. Pair them with these inputs to see who will keep earning holds.
Strategy and bullpen roles
Setup, fireman, and matchups
Most clubs assign a primary setup man for the eighth inning. Others use their best non-closer to attack the highest-leverage pocket, even if it is in the seventh. Left-right matchups still matter even with the three batter minimum, especially when a lefty-heavy cluster appears. These usage patterns drive holds. Track who gets the call against the heart of the order late. That is usually your holds leader.
Managing rest and back-to-backs
Holds cluster on winning teams because there are more leads to protect. They also follow workload. After a long outing, the manager might hold back his top setup arm and spread the inning across two relievers. That can produce two holds in one frame if both enter in save situations and record outs. Reading recent usage helps predict who gets the next hold chance.
Reading a box score for holds
Start with context
Scan the score by inning. Identify when the leading team took the lead. Note the margin in the sixth, seventh, and eighth. Small margins signal potential hold spots.
Then scan the bullpen line
Find relievers who entered with the lead, logged at least one out, and left before the final out. The box score often tags HLD next to their names. Check inherited runners and runs allowed. A hold with zero runs and zero inherited runners scored is clean. A hold with multiple baserunners and loud contact is shakier.
Check for blown saves
If you see a reliever with a blown save and a hold, something is off. A pitcher cannot be credited with both in the same game. The box score should list either a hold or a blown save for that pitcher, not both.
Confirm leverage
Not all box scores list leverage, but play-by-play plus the base-out state tells the story. Bases empty with two outs and a three-run lead is lighter pressure than two on, one out, one-run lead. Tag the hold with the pressure level you infer.
Common questions and myths
Can a starter get a hold
No. Holds are for relief appearances only. Starters either exit before the qualifying save situations form or they are not eligible because the stat is defined for relievers who do not finish the game and are not the pitcher of record.
Can there be a hold in a tie game
No. A hold requires a lead when the pitcher enters. In a tie, there is no lead to protect.
Does a four run lead produce a hold
Not by itself. A hold requires a save situation. A four run lead only becomes a save situation if the potential tying run is on base, at bat, or on deck when the reliever enters. Otherwise, there is no hold possibility.
Can the same pitcher get two holds in one game
No. A pitcher can get at most one hold in a single game.
How to evaluate a hold the right way
A five step checklist
Number one, confirm the save situation. Was the lead three runs or fewer, or was the tying run on base, at bat, or on deck when he entered.
Number two, grade leverage. Who was up. What was the base-out state.
Number three, check inherited runners. How many did he inherit and how many scored. What happened to runners he left.
Number four, check dominance. Strikeouts, walks, and batted ball quality in the outing matter for forward-looking value.
Number five, check workload and role. Was this the top of the order. Did he pitch back-to-back days. Is he lining up for future eighth-inning work.
This quick pass tells you whether a hold signals real shutdown work or whether it sits on the softer end of the scale.
How fantasy baseball uses holds
Saves plus holds
Many leagues combine saves and holds into one category. This broadens the player pool of impact relievers. You no longer chase only closers. You can roster elite setup arms on strong teams and compete in the category.
Roster tips
Target relievers who pitch the eighth inning on winning teams. Track leverage usage more than the stat column. Favor arms with high K minus BB percentage and strong IRS percentage. Those skills keep holds flowing over the long run.
Case studies you can apply
Reading a nightly bullpen puzzle
Team A leads 3-1 after six. Reliever 1 handles the seventh, strikes out two, and allows a walk. He earns a hold. Reliever 2 opens the eighth, allows a single and a walk, gets one out, and exits. Because the tying run was on base when he entered, this was a save situation. If Reliever 3 strands both runners and completes the inning, Reliever 2 still earns a hold. If those runners score to tie the game, Reliever 2 gets a blown save instead, and no hold.
Different paths to the same stat
Two pitchers record holds. One strikes out the side with the tying run at second. The other allows two baserunners, survives a long fly ball, and escapes on a lineout. The stat is the same. The value is not. If you are parsing performance, pair holds with leverage, inherited runner data, and process metrics.
Limitations to remember
Small samples and sequence bias
Relievers live on tiny sample sizes. One bloop or one borderline call can flip the result. A hold keeps score on outcome only. Overreacting to one or two holds, or one blown save, can lead to poor judgments. Focus on roles, leverage, and skills first, then read the results in that light.
Team context matters
Holds require late leads. A great setup arm on a losing team will have fewer chances. When comparing two relievers, account for team strength and recent schedule. Volume is part of the stat.
Putting it all together
A hold credits a reliever for protecting a lead in a save situation without finishing the game. It is not an official rule book stat, but it is everywhere for a reason. It highlights who shoulders the highest-leverage work before the ninth. Use it to map bullpen roles. Use it to value setup arms in fantasy leagues. But do not stop there. Pair holds with leverage index, inherited runner data, win probability, and strikeout and walk skills. Then read the box score the way managers do. Who got the call in heat. Who stranded traffic. Who overpowered bats. That is how you turn a blunt stat into sharp insight.
Conclusion
The hold gives middle- and late-inning relievers credit for doing a hard job that used to go unmeasured. It marks trust, pressure, and a lead preserved. It does not judge how pretty the outing looked, nor whether the team later held on. Treat it as a flag. It tells you where to look. Then layer in leverage, inherited runners, win probability, and strikeout and walk quality. When you do, you will see which relievers actually drive wins from the seventh to the eighth and which are riding the surface of the stat. That is the difference between reading a box score and understanding the game state that created it.
FAQ
Q: What is a hold in baseball
A: A hold is a relief pitching stat that credits a reliever who enters in a save situation, records at least one out, leaves with his team still leading, does not finish the game, and is not the winning or losing pitcher. If the lead is later lost by another pitcher, the hold still stands.
Q: Can multiple pitchers earn a hold in one game
A: Yes. More than one reliever can earn a hold in the same game if each one enters in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves with the lead intact before the game is finished by another pitcher.
Q: Can a pitcher earn a hold and a win in the same game
A: No. A pitcher cannot be the winning or losing pitcher and also receive a hold in the same game.
Q: Does a team have to win the game for a hold to count
A: No. A team can later give up the lead or even lose the game, and the reliever’s hold still counts, as long as he met the hold criteria and was not charged with the blown save.
Q: Does a pitcher have to finish the game to get a hold
A: No. By rule, a pitcher who finishes the game cannot earn a hold; finishing pitchers in save situations are eligible for a save instead.