relief pitcher
7
4.8
- noun
- /rɪˈlif ˈpɪtʃər/
- Jargon
:
relevista
- In the last game, the rookie relief pitcher struck out three batters in a row to win the match.
- an effective relief pitcher
- a veteran relief pitcher
- a former relief pitcher
Examples
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In reality, the more innings you can allocate to good relief pitchers, the less likely the opposing team is to score runs.
Blog text (7) -
With one season already under their belts, rookie relief pitchers Nate Jones and Addison Reed are both looking forward to having even better sophomore seasons.
Blog text (2) -
He spent three years as a relief pitcher.
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The player has not been identified, but it will almost certainly be a relief pitcher or the third catcher.
Blog text (10) -
Not one relief pitcher did a good job of shutting down St. Louis.
Blog text (7) -
Dennis Eckersley is without question the greatest relief pitcher in the history of baseball.
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"It’s pretty well known at this point that relief pitchers perform better than starting pitchers..."
Blog text (7) -
The team's shutdown relief pitcher is a two-time Cy Young winner who was completely unhittable throughout the postseason.
Blog text (17) -
The manager brought in a fresh relief pitcher to secure the team's lead in the final inning.
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After the starting pitcher struggled, the coach immediately called for a relief pitcher from the bullpen.
Synonyms
33
4.2
A pitcher who replaces the starter and continues to pitch
2
6.2
A relief pitcher who comes into the game to protect a team's lead late
2
7.4
A pitcher who comes in late to finish the game and protect a lead
1
7.2
A relief pitcher who comes in to protect a late lead
A woman pitcher who enters a baseball game later to throw for her team
How Late
- Jargon
2
7.4
- Jargon
7
4.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'relief' (a temporary replacement) combined with 'pitcher' (a baseball player who throws) yields a pitcher who replaces the starter. This straightforward noun+noun compound follows common English and sports terminology, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
The term relief pitcher comes from the idea of giving relief to a tired pitcher: imagine a fresh player coming in to 'relieve' the starter and take over the pitching. That's why it now means a pitcher who replaces another to help the team finish the game.