Editing Wild pitch

{{Short description|Baseball statistic}}
{{about|the baseball statistic|the Matt Christopher novel|Wild Pitch (novel)|the American hip hop record label|Wild Pitch Records}}
[[File:Wild pitch (9331552726).jpg|thumb|A wild pitch goes past the catcher.]]
In [[baseball]], a '''wild pitch''' ('''WP''') is charged against a [[pitcher]] when his [[pitch (baseball)|pitch]] is too high, too short, or too wide of [[home plate]] for the [[catcher]] to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a [[baserunner]], or the batter (on an [[uncaught third strike]]), to advance.<ref name=MLBglossary>{{cite web |title=Wild Pitch (WP) |url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/wild-pitch |website=[[MLB.com]] |access-date=29 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623142356/https://www.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/wild-pitch |archive-date=23 June 2021 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>

A wild pitch usually passes the catcher behind home plate, often allowing runners on base an easy chance to advance while the catcher chases the ball down. Sometimes the catcher may block a pitch, and the ball may be nearby, but the catcher has trouble finding the ball, allowing runners to advance.

A closely related statistic is the [[passed ball]]. As with many [[baseball statistics]], whether a pitch that gets away from a catcher is counted as a wild pitch or a passed ball is at the discretion of the [[official scorer]]. The benefit of the doubt is usually given to the catcher if there is uncertainty; therefore, most of these situations are scored as wild pitches. If the pitch was so low as to touch the ground, or so high that the catcher has to jump to get to it, or so wide that the catcher has to lunge for it, it is usually ruled a wild pitch and not a passed ball.<ref name="MLBglossary"/> Because the pitcher and catcher handle the ball much more than other fielders, certain misplays on pitched balls are defined in Rule 10.13 as wild pitches and passed balls. No [[error (baseball)|error]] shall be charged when a wild pitch or passed ball is scored.

A wild pitch may only be scored if one or more runners advance. If the bases are empty, or if the catcher retrieves the ball quickly and no runner is able to advance, a wild pitch is not charged. A run scored on a wild pitch is recorded as an [[earned run]]. A runner who advances on a wild pitch is not credited with a [[stolen base]] unless he breaks before the pitcher begins his delivery.

==Records==
[[File:Cannon Ball Stemmeyer.jpg|right|thumb|150px|[[Bill Stemmyer]] threw a National League record 63 wild pitches in one season.]]
[[Nolan Ryan]] is the modern-era leader in the wild pitches, throwing 277 over his 27 years in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB).<ref name="careerleader">{{cite web |title=Career Leaders & Records for Wild Pitches |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/WP_career.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=23 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He also led his league in the category in six different seasons.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nolan Ryan Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ryanno01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=23 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref> However, the all-time record belongs to [[Tony Mullane]], who threw 343 in the early years of the game from 1881 to 1894. After Ryan's 277, the next pitcher on the list is [[Mickey Welch]] with 274, followed by [[Bobby Matthews]], who threw 253.<ref name="careerleader"/>

The single-season record for wild pitches is held by [[Mark Baldwin (baseball)|Mark Baldwin]], who threw 83 in 1889 while pitching in the [[American Association (19th century)|American Association]]. Second place on the season list is held jointly by Tony Mullane and [[Bill Stemmyer]], who threw 63 wild pitches in 1884 and 1886, respectively. Since 1900, the highest total in a season has been 30, by [[Red Ames]] in 1905.<ref name="seasonleader">{{cite web |title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Wild Pitches |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/WP_season.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=23 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref> 

The modern-era MLB record for wild pitches in a single game is six, shared by three pitchers: [[Bill Gullickson]], [[Phil Niekro]], and [[J. R. Richard]].<ref name=wildest>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_wild1.shtml |title=Wild Pitch Records |website=[[Baseball Almanac]] |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref> The modern-era MLB record for wild pitches in a single inning during the regular season is four, shared by six pitchers: [[Walter Johnson]], [[Kevin Gregg]], [[R. A. Dickey]], Phil Niekro, [[Ryan Madson]],<ref name=wildest/> and [[Brooks Kriske]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/brooks-kriskes-disastrous-night-was-historically-wild/ar-AAMtmJv |title=Brooks Kriske's Disastrous Night Was Historically Wild |first=Max |last=Goodman |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |via=MSN.com |date=July 23, 2021 |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref> [[Bert Cunningham]] of the [[Players' League]] (considered a major league) threw five wild pitches in an inning in 1890.<ref name="wildest"/> On June 26, 2017, [[Adam Ottavino]] allowed five runs on four wild pitches, the most runs allowed on wild pitches in a single game in at least 50 years.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rockies-adam-ottavino-throws-4-wild-pitches-c238752834 |title=Ottavino uncorks four wild pitches |first=Thomas |last=Harding |website=MLB.com |date=June 26, 2017 |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref> 

On June 3, 2023, the [[Chicago White Sox]] and [[Detroit Tigers]] scored three runs in a 2–1 game on wild pitches, marking the first modern instance where all runs were scored on wild pitches in a game where three or more runs were scored.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2023/06/03/detroit-tigers-game-score-recap-chicago-white-sox-michael-lorenzen/70284535007/ |title=Detroit Tigers too wild in 2-1 loss to Chicago White Sox |first=Evan |last=Petzold |publisher=[[Detroit Free Press]]|date=June 3, 2023 |accessdate=March 13, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/white-sox-win-on-walk-off-wild-pitch-in-extra-innings |title=Wild ending gives White Sox walk-off win |first=Scott |last=Merkin |website=MLB.com|date=June 3, 2023 |accessdate=March 13, 2025}}</ref>

{{asof|2025|3}}, the active career leader for wild pitches thrown in MLB is [[Sonny Gray]] with 104, followed by [[Clayton Kershaw]] with 103.<ref name="activeleader">{{cite web |title=Active Leaders & Records for Wild Pitches |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/WP_active.shtml |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=March 13, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

==Postseason==
[[Rick Ankiel]] of the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] threw five wild pitches in the third inning of the first game of the [[2000 National League Division Series]] against the [[Atlanta Braves]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/video/ankiel-s-five-wild-pitches-c28525673 |title=Ankiel's five wild pitches |website=MLB.com |date=October 3, 2000 |accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref>

Only one [[World Series]] has ended on a wild pitch—the [[1927 World Series|1927]] edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/world_series_final_outs.shtml|title=World Series Final Outs|publisher=Baseball Almanac|access-date=October 16, 2020}}</ref> An errant delivery by [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] reliever [[Johnny Miljus]] in the ninth inning of Game 4 allowed [[Earle Combs]] of the [[New York Yankees]] to score the winning run.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr1927ws.shtml|title=1927 World Series|publisher=Baseball Almanac|access-date=October 16, 2020}}</ref>

In the bottom of the 10th inning of Game 6 of the [[1986 World Series]], with the [[1986 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] leading 5–4, the [[1986 New York Mets season|New York Mets]] had runners on first and third with two outs. Boston [[relief pitcher]] [[Bob Stanley (baseball)|Bob Stanley]] threw a wild pitch which allowed [[Kevin Mitchell (baseball)|Kevin Mitchell]] to score the tying run from third and [[Ray Knight]] to move from first to second base. With Knight in [[scoring position]], he was able to score the winning run on first baseman [[Bill Buckner]]'s now infamous [[error (baseball)|error]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Garry |title=Don't judge Bill Buckner so harshly for '86 World Series |url=https://www.masslive.com/living/2016/10/bill_buckners_critics_are_too_harsh_about_1986_world_series_loss_by_boston_red_sox_viewpoint.html |access-date=25 July 2021 |work=Mass Live |date=30 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725212504/https://www.masslive.com/living/2016/10/bill_buckners_critics_are_too_harsh_about_1986_world_series_loss_by_boston_red_sox_viewpoint.html |archive-date=25 July 2021 |url-status=live |language=en}}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2007/10_the_official_scorer.pdf Baseball Rules] See section 10.13

{{Baseball}}
{{Baseball pitches}}
{{Baseball statistics}}

[[Category:Pitching statistics]]
[[Category:Baseball terminology]]
[[Category:Baseball pitches]]