View source for Hit by pitch

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Short description|Baseball statistic}}
[[Image:Hit by pitch joe crede.JPG|thumb|right|[[Joe Crede]] of the [[Chicago White Sox]] being hit by a pitch]]
In baseball, '''hit by pitch''' ('''HBP''') is an event in which a [[batter (baseball)|batter]] or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the [[pitcher]]; the batter is called a '''hit batsman''' ('''HB'''). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided that (in the plate [[umpire]]'s judgment) he made an honest effort to avoid the pitch, although failure to do so is rarely called by an umpire. Being hit by a pitch is often caused by a batter standing too close to, or "crowding", home plate.<ref>{{cite web | last=Keri | first=Jonah | title=The Year Ron Hunt Got Hit By 50 Pitches | website=FiveThirtyEight | date=2015-02-03 | url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-year-ron-hunt-got-hit-by-50-pitches/ | access-date=2025-06-16}}</ref><ref name="z725">{{cite web | last=Rogers | first=Jesse | title=Hurts so good for Anthony Rizzo | website=ESPN.com | date=2015-04-25 | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/30135/it-hurts-so-good-for-rizzo | access-date=2025-06-16}}</ref>

The rule dates from 1887; before that, a pitch that struck the batter was merely a [[ball (baseball statistics)|ball]].

==Official rule==
Per baseball official rule 5.05(b), a batter becomes a [[baserunning|baserunner]] and is awarded first base when he or his equipment (except for his bat):
*is touched by a pitched ball outside the [[strike zone]],
*''and'' he attempts to avoid it (or has no opportunity to avoid it),
*''and'' he did not swing at the pitch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/batter_6.jsp|title=Official Rules|work=Major League Baseball}}</ref>
If all these conditions are met, the ball is dead, and other baserunners advance if they are forced to vacate their base by the batter taking first. Rule 5.09(a) further clarifies that a hit by pitch is also called when a pitch touches a batter's clothing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/ball_in_play_5.jsp|title=Official Rules|work=Major League Baseball}}</ref>

In the case where a batter swings and the pitch hits him anyway, the ball is [[dead ball#Baseball|dead]] and a [[strike zone|strike]] is called.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/definition_terms_2.jsp|title=Official Rules|work=Major League Baseball}}</ref> If the batter does not attempt to avoid the pitch, he is not awarded first base, and the pitch is ruled either a strike if in the strike zone or a ball if out of the strike zone. Umpires rarely make this call. A famous instance of a non-hit by pitch was on May 31, 1968, when [[Don Drysdale]] hit [[Dick Dietz]] with a pitch that would have forced in a run and ended Drysdale's scoreless innings streak at 44. Umpire [[Harry Wendelstedt]] ruled that Dietz made no effort to avoid the pitch; Dietz proceeded to [[fly out]], and Drysdale's scoreless streak continued to a then-record 58{{fraction|2|3}} innings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050629&content_id=1108528&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl|title=Former All-Star catcher Dick Dietz dies|work=Atlanta Braves|access-date=April 30, 2007|archive-date=June 16, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616144848/http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050629&content_id=1108528&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl|url-status=dead}}</ref> Another notable example was the first game of the [[2022 World Series]]. In the bottom of the 10th inning, [[Philadelphia Phillies]] pitcher David Robertson was pitching to [[Houston Astros]] pinch hitter [[Aledmys Diaz]]. With 2 balls and no strikes, two out, and two runners in scoring position, Robertson threw a pitch inside that struck Diaz's left arm. Home plate umpire James Hoye ruled that Diaz did not attempt to avoid the pitch and called the pitch a ball.  Diaz, who had begun to take first base before Hoye called time, disputed the call, and would go on to ground out to end the game.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401467554 | title=Phillies vs. Astros – MLB Game Summary – October 28, 2022 }}</ref>

A hit-by-pitch can also be called on a pitch that has first touched the ground before hitting the batter. Such a bouncing pitch is like any other, and if a batter is hit by such a pitch, he will be awarded first unless he made no attempt to avoid it (and he had an opportunity to avoid it).

A batter hit by a pitch is not credited with a [[hit (baseball)|hit]] or [[at bat]], but is credited with a [[times on base|time on base]] and a [[plate appearance]]; therefore, being hit by a pitch does not increase or decrease a player's [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] but does increase his [[on-base percentage]]. A batter who is hit by a pitch with the [[bases loaded]] is also credited with an [[Run batted in|RBI]] per MLB rule 10.04(a)(2).<ref>[https://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2008/official_rules/10_the_official_scorer.pdf Divisions Of The Code<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A pitch ruled a hit by pitch is recorded as a ball in the pitcher's [[pitch count]], since by definition, the ball must be outside the strike zone and not have been swung at.

The rule awarding first base to a batter hit by a pitch was instituted in 1887.<ref>[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/excerpts/rules_chronology.stm Baseball Rules Chronology: 1845–1899 | BaseballLibrary.com<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140829014513/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/excerpts/rules_chronology.stm |date=August 29, 2014 }}</ref>

==Tactical use==
[[File:Brushback (4561531461).jpg|thumb|right|Iván Rodríguez (right) of the [[Washington Nationals]] is brushed back by an inside pitch during a 2010 game at [[Wrigley Field]].]]
[[Inside pitching]] is a common and legal tactic in baseball, and many players make use of [[brushback pitch]]es, or pitches aimed underneath the chin, commonly referred to as "chin music", to keep players away from the [[home plate|plate]]. "Headhunter" is a common term for pitchers who have a reputation for throwing these kinds of pitches. However, throwing at a batter intentionally is illegal, and can be very dangerous. When an [[umpire (baseball)|umpire]] suspects that a pitcher has thrown at a batter intentionally, but is not certain, a warning is issued to the pitcher and the [[manager (baseball)|managers]] of both teams. From that point on, any pitch thrown at a batter can cause the pitcher and the manager of the offending team to be ejected immediately from the game. Serious offenses such as a ball thrown at the head (called a [[beanball]]) can result in the immediate ejection of the pitcher, and the manager if he ordered the beanball, even without a warning. If the umpire is certain that the pitcher intentionally hit the batter with the pitch, the pitcher is ejected from the game with no warning. This infamously happened on August 15, 2018, when [[José Ureña]] was ejected from a game against the [[Atlanta Braves]] after hitting [[Ronald Acuña Jr.]] on the elbow with the first pitch of the game, which led to the Braves' and Marlins' [[Bench-clearing_brawl|benches emptying]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bowman |first1=Mark |title=Acuna drilled by 1st pitch, benches clear |url=https://www.mlb.com/braves/news/ronald-acuna-jr-hit-by-pitch-leading-off-game/c-290497832 |access-date=August 16, 2018 |work=MLB.com |date=August 15, 2018}}</ref>

Occasionally, if a player is acting rude or unsportsmanlike, or having an extraordinarily good day, the pitcher may intentionally hit the batter, disguising it as a pitch that accidentally slipped his control. Managers may also order a pitcher to throw such a pitch (sometimes called a "plunking").<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Bissinger |first=Buzz |date=2005 |title=To Bean or Not to Bean |pages=86–93 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/17780011 |access-date=June 12, 2022|id={{ProQuest|17780011}} }}</ref> These pitches are typically aimed at the lower back and slower than normal, designed to send a message more than anything else. The opposing team usually hits a batter in retaliation for this act. The plunkings generally end there because of umpire warnings, but in some cases things can get out of hand, and sometimes they lead to the batter [[charging the mound]], [[bench-clearing brawl]]s, and several ejections.

==Records==
{{See also|List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders|List of Major League Baseball career hit by pitch leaders}}
[[Korea Baseball Organization]] third baseman [[Choi Jeong]] holds the Korean Baseball Organization hit by pitch record with 348. It is also the world record. The all-time record for a player being hit by a pitch in [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] is held by [[Hughie Jennings]], who was hit by 287 pitches between 1891 and 1903. The modern-era{{clarify|date=August 2022}} record is held by [[Craig Biggio]] of the [[Houston Astros]], who had 285 as of the end of the 2007 season when he retired. Prior to Biggio, the modern-era record belonged to [[Don Baylor]], who was hit 267 times.

The all-time single-season record also belongs to Jennings, who was hit 51 times during the 1896 season. [[Ron Hunt]] of the 1971 [[Montreal Expos]] was hit 50 times during that year, the modern-era record. The single-game record is three, held by numerous players.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_hbp2.shtml|title=Hit by a Pitch Records by Baseball Almanac|work=baseball-almanac.com}}</ref>

The all-time record for pitchers is held by [[Gus Weyhing]] with 277 (1887–1901). The modern-era career pitching record for most hit batsmen is 205 by Hall-of-Famer [[Walter Johnson]]. The season record is 54 by [[Phil Knell]] in 1891, and the game record is six, held by [[Ed Knouff]] and [[John Grimes (baseball)|John Grimes]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_hbp.shtml|title=Hit Batsmen Records by Baseball Almanac|work=baseball-almanac.com}}</ref> On September 1, 2021, [[Austin Adams (baseball, born 1991)|Austin Adams]] became the first pitcher hitting batters 20 or more times with 120 or less IPs in a season. [[Ed Doheny]] hit batters 22 times in 133.2 IP in 1900.

A total of ten MLB players have been hit twice in a single inning; three in [[American League]] games, six in [[National League (baseball)|National League]] games, and one in an interleague game:{{cn|date=June 2025}}
* On April 26, 1959, [[Willard Schmidt]] of the [[Cincinnati Reds]] became the first such player in MLB history (and in a National League game), being hit twice in the bottom of the 3rd inning by [[Milwaukee Braves]] pitchers [[Lew Burdette]] and [[Bob Rush (baseball)|Bob Rush]].
* On April 29, 1962, [[Frank Thomas (outfielder)|Frank Thomas]] of the [[New York Mets]] was hit twice in the bottom of the 4th inning of game 1 of a doubleheader by [[Philadelphia Phillies]] pitchers [[Art Mahaffey]] and [[Frank Sullivan (baseball)|Frank Sullivan]].
* On July 12, 1996, [[Andrés Galarraga]] of the [[Colorado Rockies]] was hit twice in the bottom of the 7th inning by [[San Diego Padres]] pitchers [[Bryce Florie]] and [[Willie Blair]].
* On May 23, 1999, [[Brady Anderson]] of the [[Baltimore Orioles]] became the first such player in an American League game, getting hit twice in the bottom of the 1st inning by [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] pitcher [[Mike Morgan (baseball)|Mike Morgan]].
* On September 8, 2008, [[Mike Hessman]] of the [[Detroit Tigers]] was hit twice in the bottom of the 2nd inning by [[Oakland Athletics]] pitchers [[Gio González]] and [[Josh Outman]].
* On September 23, 2010, [[José Guillén]] of the [[San Francisco Giants]] was hit twice in the top of the 2nd inning by [[Chicago Cubs]] pitcher [[Ryan Dempster]].
* On June 18, 2012, [[David DeJesus]] of the Chicago Cubs became the first such player in an interleague game, getting hit twice in the top of the 7th inning by [[Chicago White Sox]] pitchers [[Will Ohman]] and [[Hector Santiago (baseball)|Hector Santiago]].
* On April 25, 2014, [[Brandon Moss]] of the Oakland Athletics was hit twice in the top of the 9th inning by [[Houston Astros]] pitchers [[Josh Fields (pitcher)|Josh Fields]] and [[Anthony Bass]].
* On April 28, 2025, [[Francisco Lindor]] of the New York Mets was hit twice in the top of the 7th inning by [[Washington Nationals]] pitcher [[Cole Henry]].
* On May 31, 2025, [[CJ Abrams]] of the Washington Nationals was hit twice in the top of the 1st inning by two different [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] pitchers: [[Brandon Pfaadt]] and [[Scott McGough]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com.au/mlb/playbyplay/_/gameId/401695779|title=Nationals 11-7 Diamondbacks|date=May 31, 2025|publisher=[[ESPN]]}}</ref>

Three times has a perfect game been broken up by the 27th batter being hit by pitch. [[Hooks Wiltse]], [[Max Scherzer]], and [[Joe Musgrove]] hold this rare feat. All three finished with no-hitters after the hit by pitch. Scherzer's team was leading 6–0 and Musgrove's 3–0 when they pitched their no-hitters, but Wiltse's team was scoreless through 9; he pitched a 10-inning 1–0 no-hitter. The record for most hit batters in a no-hitter is three, held by [[Chris Heston]] of the San Francisco Giants for his 2015 effort against the New York Mets.<ref>{{cite web|first=Paul|last=Casella|title=The Most Unconventional No-Hitters|url=http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/129863414/edwin-jackson-aj-burnett-unusual-no-hitters-chris-heston|publisher=Sports on Earth|date=June 11, 2015|access-date=June 24, 2017}}</ref>

Postseason career records are held by [[Greg Maddux]] and [[Tim Wakefield]]—each of whom hit 9 batters—and [[Shane Victorino]], who was hit by pitch 11 times.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/tiny/InigA|title=Postseason Pitching Event Finder: From 1903 to 2017, All Teams, Hit By Pitches|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=June 19, 2018}}</ref>

==Dangers==
[[File:Lane Thomas (48327188887).jpg|thumb|right|[[Lane Thomas]] of the [[Memphis Redbirds]] is evaluated for injury after being hit by a pitch in a 2019 game.]]
One major-league player died as a result of being struck by a pitch: [[Ray Chapman]] of the [[Cleveland Indians]] was hit in the head by [[Carl Mays]] on August 16, 1920,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/B08160NYA1920.htm |title=Cleveland Indians 4, New York Yankees 3 |date=August 16, 1920 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> and died the next morning.<ref>{{cite news |title=Beaned by a Pitch, Ray Chapman Dies |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/year_in_sports/08.17.html |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=17 August 1920}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/august-16-1920-ray-chapman-suffers-fatal-blow-to-his-skull-on-pitch-from-carl-mays/ |title=August 16, 1920: Ray Chapman suffers fatal blow to his skull on pitch from Carl Mays |first=Joseph |last=Wancho |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref>

Serious injuries may result from being hit by a pitch, even when wearing a [[batting helmet]]. On August 18, 1967, [[Boston Red Sox]] batter [[Tony Conigliaro]] was hit almost directly in the left eye by a fastball thrown by [[Jack Hamilton (baseball)|Jack Hamilton]] of the [[California Angels]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1967/B08180BOS1967.htm |title=Boston Red Sox 3, California Angels 2 |date=August 18, 1967 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> His cheekbone was shattered; he nearly lost the sight of the eye, was unable to play for over a year, and never regained his earlier batting ability.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/august-18-1967-tony-conigliaros-career-and-life-threatened-by-beaning/ |title=August 18, 1967: Tony Conigliaro's career, and life, threatened by beaning |first=David |last=Mendonca |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> At the time, batting helmets were not required to have an "ear flap"; it was not until 2002 that all major-league batters were required to wear helmets with side-protection. [[Ron Santo]] was the first player to wear a helmet with an improvised ear-flap; he had it made after he was struck by a pitch from [[Jack Fisher]] of the [[New York Mets]] on June 26, 1966,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1966/B06261CHN1966.htm |title=Chicago Cubs 7, New York Mets 0 (1) |date=June 26, 1966 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> which briefly knocked Santo unconscious and left him with a fractured cheekbone.

Other notable injuries include: 
* [[Mickey Cochrane]] of the [[Detroit Tigers]] was hit in the head by a pitch from [[Bump Hadley]] of the [[New York Yankees]] on May 25, 1937.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1937/B05250NYA1937.htm |title=New York Yankees 4, Detroit Tigers 3 |date=May 25, 1937 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> Cochrane nearly died from his injuries and never played again; he was inducted to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in 1947.
* [[Kirby Puckett]] of the [[Minnesota Twins]] was struck in the cheek by a [[Dennis Martínez]] fastball on September 28, 1995,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1995/B09280MIN1995.htm |title=Cleveland Indians 12, Minnesota Twins 4 |date=September 28, 1995 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> breaking his jaw and loosening two teeth. It was Puckett's last regular-season game; during [[spring training]] the following year he developed [[glaucoma]], which ended his career; he was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2001.
* [[Mike Piazza]], then with the Mets, was hit in the head by a pitch from [[Julián Tavárez]] of the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] on September 10, 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2005/B09100SLN2005.htm |title=St. Louis Cardinals 4, New York Mets 2 |date=September 10, 2005 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> Piazza's helmet shattered and he suffered a [[concussion]]; he went on to play in MLB through 2007 and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2016.

Other comparably minor injuries that are possible include broken fingers or hands, broken feet, broken ribs, injuries to the knee, or [[groin]] injuries.

==Legal interpretation==

Since inside pitching is a legitimate tactic in baseball, courts have recognized that being hit by a pitch is an inherent risk of the game, so that players cannot sue for any resulting injuries. On April 6, 2006, in a case arising from a game involving [[community college]] baseball teams, the [[Supreme Court of California]] ruled that baseball players in California [[Assumption of risk|assume the risk]] of being hit by baseballs ''even if'' the balls were intentionally thrown so as to cause injury.<ref name="Avila">''[https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=10235167076012756789 Avila v. Citrus Community College Dist.]'', 38 Cal. 4th 148 (2006).</ref> In the court's words: "For better or worse, being intentionally thrown at is a fundamental part and inherent risk of the sport of baseball. It is not the function of [[tort law]] to police such conduct."<ref name="Avila" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

{{Portal|Baseball}}
* [https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/HBP_career.shtml List of all-time HBP leaders]

* [https://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-hbp-explosion-that-almost-nobody-seems-to-have-noticed/ Article on changing HBP rates] in [[The Hardball Times]]

{{Baseball}}

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