What Is a Designated Hitter in Baseball? Rule, Role, and History Explained
Baseball is a sport anchored by rituals and traditions. It’s not surprising that it took more than 75 years for the Designated Hitter (DH) rule to be implemented. The idea of a player batting for the pitcher in the baseball lineup bubbled up in the late 1800s. Because pitchers weren’t regular players, their hitting skills sometimes could be subpar. The pitcher’s purpose was to throw the baseball, not to hit it. A pitcher’s at-bat was often considered wasted or a near automatic out. For decades, the executives that ran major league baseball were stubborn, and didn’t want to change the rule. Having the pitcher in the game added an element of strategy that forced managers to make more moves in the late innings if their team was trailing, they argued. Making the pitcher bat also elevated the use of pinch hitters, a concept that became prevalent in the early 20th century. Managers would regularly pull their pitchers for a pinch hitter late in the game if they trailed. Eventually, though, the DH was introduced to make the game more exciting.
History of the Designated Hitter
What’s a designated hitter? It’s the batter who hits for the pitcher in a baseball lineup. Unlike other position players who hit, a DH doesn’t play in the field. The first ever DH was the Yankees’ Ron Bloomberg. Bloomberg walked in his first at-bat on April 6, 1973. The seeds of a DH were born in 1887 when baseball allowed substitutions in the game for injury or illnesses. Two players could be deemed on the scorecard as substitutes. Before the DH was a possibility, baseball owners considered using an 8-player lineup, eliminating the pitcher as a batter because they were considered poor hitters. Albert Spalding wrote in “The Sporting Life” that “every patron of the game is conversant of the utter worthlessness of the average pitcher when he goes up to try and hit the ball.” A vote to use an 8-player lineup lost 7-5. Over the years, cases were made for and against the DH. Purists argued every player should hit while the opposition typically cited statistics showing how poorly pitchers hit. Eventually, after a “dead ball” period, where batting averages were low and the number of home runs hit was down, the American League agreed to a 3-year DH experiment in 1973. The American League kept the DH because more offense made the game more appealing to fans. It took 44 years for the National League to agree, adopting the DH in 2022.
The Role of the DH
A DH is a dedicated hitter. Every other position player must focus on defense and hitting but the sole responsibility of a DH is to be a good hitter. They spend their time studying pitchers, trying to understand their tendencies, and learn their pitches. The use of a DH allows the pitcher to concentrate only on pitching. Because both leagues now use a DH, there’s more focus than ever on the position. Typically, a DH is a player who doesn’t fit into the defensive lineup but they’re excellent hitters. Some DHs can play a position, but they often only get on the field to give one of the position players a rest. You definitely want a DH who can drive in runs and hit for power. Last year, the home run leader in the National and American Leagues primarily played the DH position. When the DH was instituted, teams frequently used aging position players who were still good hitters but might have been relatively slow runners and average fielders.
Occasionally, a manager will use a regular position player as a DH to get another bat in the lineup. For instance, maybe a bench player hits a particular pitcher well, and they play first base. A manager could use his regular first baseman as the DH and put the bench player in at first base to get both bats into the lineup. Most teams have DHs who can play in the field if necessary. The DH is no longer strictly a dedicated position for one person. Teams usually have more than 1 DH, each one chosen based on matchups and the schedule.
College & High School DH Rules
Most high schools have a flex player and a designated player. A flex player is always listed as the 10th player on a lineup card, and they’re required to play defense. The DP is the same as a DH. The DP can play defense during the game and continue to hit in their normal spot. In college, the role of the DH is similar to how it works in Major League Baseball.
Skills & Mindset of a DH
The job of a DH is to hit the baseball successfully in different types of situations. They need to have game awareness, knowing how to hit with runners on base or perhaps coax a walk out of a pitcher if they need to rally. They should also take instructions from the dugout on game hitting strategies. Below are some traits that DHs have.
Unselfish: Some players don’t want to be DHs because they feel like taking that role is a demotion since they won’t play defense. Very few players rise through the minor leagues as strictly DHs. A good DH will often sacrifice part of his game for the team.
Patience: Baseball is a relatively slow-paced game where players spend almost half the game in the dugout studying the action. A DH spends most of the game in the dugout but has to be ready to come out and be prepared to hit. A good DH will spend their time studying the pitcher to see how their pitches are moving and what their tendencies are.
Strong Hitter: A DH should be a good hitter, perhaps even the best hitter on the team. They should be versatile, hitting for power but also have the ability to draw walks and hit for contacts if the situation calls for it.
The DH role has become an integral part of baseball. Where it used to be a way to extend the careers of players who struggled in the field, it’s now a high-profile position that every good hitter needs to be prepared to play.