In baseball, a setup pitcher (or set-up pitcher, sometimes called the setup man) is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the 7th or 8th innings, with the closer pitching the 9th. A view of the playing field at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mariano Rivera is the closer for the New York Yankees. ...

The concept of a team having a defined setup pitcher is a relatively new one which has been aided by the addition of the statistical category of holds. The role, however, remains a flexible and sometimes ill-defined one. Setup pitchers, unlike closers, commonly appear in games where their team is tied or even behind, making the designation of setup pitcher representative of only a certain number - perhaps under half - of the pitcher's appearances within a season. However, it is fairly common for a young setup man that achieves success to be moved to the closer role. A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher if he enters in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves the game without having reliquished that lead. ...

Accolades for setup men are few and far between; occasionally they will be selected to the All-Star Team (Brendan Donnelly, Hideki Okajima, and Mike Stanton, for instance) or receive votes for the Cy Young Award or MVP (Mariano Rivera finished 3rd in the AL Cy Young voting in 1996). Brendan Kevin Donnelly (b. ... Hideki Okajima , born December 25, 1975 in Kyoto, Japan) is a left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. ... William Michael (Mike) Stanton (born June 2, 1967 in Houston, Texas) is a left-handed specialist relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. ... In baseball, the Cy Young Award is an honor given annually to the best pitchers in the Major Leagues. ... Mariano Rivera (born November 29, 1969 in Panama City, Panama) is a relief pitcher for Major League Baseballs New York Yankees. ...

Teams commonly have a right-handed and a left-handed setup pitcher in their bullpens. While the game goes on, a relief pitcher warms up in the bullpen, beyond the outfield fence In baseball, the bullpen is the area where pitchers warm-up before entering a game. ...

Notable Major League Baseball pitchers who have held the role of setup pitcher for a significant period of time include: Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

• Mariano Rivera
• Octavio Dotel
• Brad Lidge
• Justin Duchscherer
• Alan Embree
• Duaner Sanchez
• Tom Gordon
• Cla Meredith
• Scott Linebrink
• Jeff Nelson
• Paul Quantrill
• Arthur Rhodes
• Scot Shields
• Mike Timlin
• Duane Ward
• Chad Qualls
• Joel Zumaya
• Dan Wheeler

Many of these pitchers, including Rivera, Lidge, Dotel, Gordon, and Wheeler, have also served as closers at one time or another; Rivera served as setup man for John Wetteland on the 1996 New York Yankees championship team, and the club was so impressed by his pitching that they let Wetteland leave as a free agent and handed Rivera the closer's job. Mariano Rivera (born November 29, 1969 in Panama City, Panama) is a relief pitcher for Major League Baseballs New York Yankees. ... Octavio Eduardo Dotel (born November 25, 1973 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a major league pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. ... Bradley Thomas Lidge (born December 23, 1976 in Sacramento, California) is an American Major League Baseball closer for the Houston Astros. ... Justin Craig Duchscherer [DUKE-shur] (born November 19, 1977 in Aberdeen, South Dakota) is a right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Oakland Athletics (since 2003). ... Alan Duane Embree (born January 23, 1970 in The Dalles, Oregon) is a middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. ... Duaner Sánchez is a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. ... Thomas Gordon (born November 18, 1967 in Sebring, Florida), nicknamed Flash, is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies. ... Olise Cla Meredith, (born June 4, 1983), is an American baseball player who is currently a relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres. ... Scott Cameron Linebrink (born August 4, 1976) is a baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres franchise. ... Jeffrey Allan Nelson (born November 17, 1966 in Baltimore, Maryland), was a middle relief pitcher. ... Media:Example. ... Arthur Lee Rhodes (born October 24, 1969 in Waco, Texas) is a left-handed relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. ... Robert Scot Shields (b. ... Michael August (Mike) Timlin (born March 10, 1966 in Midland, Texas) is a middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Boston Red Sox since 2003. ... Roy Duane Ward (born May 28, 1964 in Park View, New Mexico) was a Major League Baseball reliever during the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... Chad Michael Qualls (born August 17, 1978 Lomita, California) is a right-handed pitcher for the Houston Astros. ... Joel Martin Zumaya (born November 9, 1984, in Chula Vista, California) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. ... Daniel Michael Wheeler (born December 10, 1977 in Providence, Rhode Island) is a Major League Baseball pitcher currently playing for the Houston Astros. ... John Karl Wetteland (born August 26, 1966 ) (age 40) in San Mateo, California, USA) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher, who played as a closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as...