Can players swap positions during a baseball game?

Question

Example: If a guy is a good pitcher and a good batter, but the manager wants to bring in a reliever, can the pitcher move to another spot, say outfield and that person (outfielder) is then taken out of game?

Answer 1

In most games, at least one player plays two or more positions. I doubt seriously if the pitcher would be sent to another position. I've never seen it happen in the Majors. I'm sure it has, but it's very rare.

Answer 2

Yes - players can switch positions. You often see that occur with players who are able to play multiple positions.

When a pitcher is involved, there is a slight limitation: the pitcher can only switch to another position once per inning. This is to prevent a manager from switching the same 2 pitchers in and out during an inning, depending on whether the batter is left or right handed. Also, in the American League, switching the pitcher to another position eliminates the Designated Hitter for the rest of the game.

Answer 3

In the National League, this is no problem.

In the American League and in every other professional league anywhere in the world, moving your pitcher to another position, even for one batter, and even then moving him back to the mound, means that the pitcher must "come above the line" or hit for himself. THe DH is lost for the remainder of the game. This is covered in 6.10 of the rulebook.

Whitey Herzog did this relatively frequently. And Tommy Lasorda would move Fernando Valenzuela to first base for brief periods and then move him back to the mound. Each of them was managing in the NL.

I've seen this happen, firsthand, in the AL.

On June 6, 1989, in the second game at the stadium formerly known as Skydome, the visiting Brewers were leading the BLue Jays 6-3 going into the bottom of the ninth. Teddy Higuera had started the game for MIlwaukee, and had been replaced after 5 innings by Jay Aldrich, who pitched three scoreless innings. Tom Trebelhorn replaced Aldrich with Chuck Crim in the 9th, but Crim started the inning by allowing a double to Fred McGriff, then a single to Rance Mullinicks, pinch hitting for Pat Borders. MicGriff wasn't the fastest runner around, so he took only one base on Mullinick's single to left. Lloyd Moseby struck out swinging for the first out of the inning. Ernie Whitt pinch hit for Bob Brenly, and walked to load the bases. WIth Nelson Liriano up next, Trebelhorn removed Greg Brock from 1st base and from the game, and moved Crim to first. He brought Tony Fossas in to pitch to Liriano, and Fossas walked Liriano, thereby walking in a run. Trebelhorn immediately removed Fossas from the game and replaced him on the mound by Chuck Crim. However, under the rules, Crim had to hit for himself. Terry Francona was brought into the game to finish at first, and he was put in the second spot in the batting order, replacing the DH, Robin Yount. When Crim returned to the mound, he induced Tom Lawless to fly out to centre for the second out of the inning, and then got Tony Fernandez swinging to end the game.

Answer 4

Yes Sir. Cardinals third base coach Jose Quendo Played all nine positions in one game before back in the early 90's.

Answer 5

yes..Thay can..b/c like you said there maybe some one that can do all of the thing to be a good batter and Pitcher..baseball is a good sport and you can do a lot in it..

Answer 6

YES! I promise you that you probably wouldn't see a pitcher be a CF or anything except pitcher. It can happen though but its rare. Maybe he could be a catcher?

Answer 7

Yes, but not recommended because the manager will not want to waste a position player.

Answer 8

yes they can switch in the field but they can not switch in the batting order. usually pitcher do not hit very good tho.

Answer 9

yes when sammy sosa hit the wall and had to come out of the gae cory paterson scootd from center field to right.

Answer 10

Pitcher:
AL: NO
NL: Yes
This is because if the player is not in the order he can't come in. But all other pos. the answer is yes.