Overview
A pinch hitter bats in place of another player, who cannot return to the game once substituted. NPB has produced many celebrated pinch-hit specialists, with Yasuhiro Takai (Hankyu) holding the world record of 227 career pinch hits. Takai also set the single-season record of 7 pinch-hit home runs in 1976. Until 2022, the Central League required pitchers to bat, making pinch-hitting for the pitcher in late innings a crucial tactical decision. Hanshin's Shinjiro Hiyama earned the nickname 'God of Pinch Hitting' in the 2000s for his remarkable clutch performances. Pinch-hit specialists generally fall into two types: aggressive first-pitch swingers and patient pitch-selectors, with managers deploying them based on matchups against opposing pitchers and game situations.