Blown Save

A blown save refers to when a pitcher who enters a game gets charged to save a situation in baseball. However, the pitcher should allow the tying run to score. Hence, he fails to save the game if the other team ties the score or takes the lead.

The Technicalities

Since the tying run is allowed to score, if the pitcher’s team does not come back to win the game, the pitcher will get charged with both a loss and a blown save. Otherwise, the pitcher will be saving the game.

Who is the Pitcher?

The pitcher who enters during a save opportunity is not the pitcher of record. He was the pitcher who threw at least a third of an inning and is just finishing the game for his team. The pitcher must also throw a whole inning, and his team is leading by no more than three runs.

Are Pitchers Who Make Blown Saves Good?

It depends on the success rate of the pitcher. If, for example, the pitcher has a record of 40 saves and 19 blown saves, it is better to work with a pitcher who has 19 saves and one blown save. Experts say that a success rate of 90 percent or more is the best pitcher you can bring into the save opportunity.

A pitcher who has an 80 percent success rate is still okay. However, if the pitcher with less than 80 percent success rate tries to enter the closer to save a game, it might not end pretty well. Experts noted that if you can already count the blown save with the fingers on one hand, it might not be okay to bring that pitcher in for the closer.

When Does the Blown Save take place?

The blown save usually takes place during the ninth inning or later. Sometimes, it even happens during the eighth inning. Accordingly, even if the pitcher allows the tying runner to score on the eighth and is charged with a blown save, he can still receive a win, a loss, or a no-decision on the ninth. It depends on the game result, so a blown save does not automatically mean the pitcher’s team already lost.