In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter (abbreviated DH), to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to home plate, rather than replace him by pinch-hitting. Since then, most collegiate, amateur, and professional leagues have adopted the ru...
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In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter (abbreviated DH), to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to home plate, rather than replace him by pinch-hitting. Since then, most collegiate, amateur, and professional leagues have adopted the rule or some variant; MLB's National League and NPB's Central League are the most prominent professional leagues that have not.
The designated hitter cannot be used for any other player but the pitcher (however, see below regarding different rules in amateur play). Use of the DH is optional. The manager must designate a DH prior to the start of the game; failure to do so forfeits the right to use the DH, and the pitcher must then take his turn at bat. The designated hitter may not play a field position and he may only be replaced by another...
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