Substitutions

Definition

Teams are permitted to substitute players any time the ball is dead. The manager must immediately notify the umpire of the switch and substitutes must bat in the replaced player's batting-order position. Once removed, players are not permitted to return to the game in any capacity. Types of substitutions include pinch-hitting, pinch-running, a pitching change and a defensive replacement.

Pitchers must either face a minimum of three batters in an appearance or pitch to the end of a half-inning, with exceptions for injuries and illnesses. If a pitcher faces one batter to end an inning, he may be removed, but if he is brought back for a second inning, he must still face two more batters for a total of three.

A double-switch refers to the act of substituting two players at once. Before the designated-hitter rule was adopted by the National League in the 2022-26 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the tactic was typically used in NL games to bring in a new pitcher when the pitcher's spot in the batting order was due up in the next half-inning. Rather than performing a straight one-for-one swap of pitcher for pitcher, a team would sub the new pitcher into the batting-order spot of a non-pitcher and sub another non-pitcher into the removed pitcher's batting-order spot. That way, the team could avoid having the pitcher come to bat in the next half-inning without needing to use additional substitutions for a pinch-hitter and then another pitcher.