wild pitch

noun

: a baseball pitch not hit by the batter that cannot be caught or controlled by the catcher with ordinary effort and that enables a base runner to advance compare passed ball

Examples of wild pitch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Teoscar Hernández, who had been slumping, hit a two-run home run, and consecutive run-scoring wild pitches from Tigers reliever Tanner Rainey certainly helped. — Katie Woo, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Harper took second and third on a wild pitch, but Luis Arraez grounded to first, Harper holding. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 The Padres took a 4-3 lead in the top of the 11th when Manny Machado, the runner placed at second, advanced to third on a wild pitch by reliever Tyler Wells and scored on a sac fly by Ty France. — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Aug. 2026 Miguel Vargas singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an Andrew Benintendi single. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wild pitch

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wild pitch was in 1867

Rhymes for wild pitch

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Browse Nearby Words

wild pink
wild pitch
wild plantain
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Cite this Entry

“Wild pitch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wild%20pitch. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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