text: Designated Hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a batter that hits for the pitcher and never plays defense. The DH is important because the DH is usually one of the better hitters. It is a trend that the DH is either in the third, fourth, or fifth spot in the lineup.  The DH was adopted by the American League of North American Major League Baseball in 1973 and by the National League in 2022. In games without a DH, the pitcher hit in the lineup unless another player pinch hit for the pitcher, in which case the pitcher left the game and was replaced for the team's next defensive half-inning. Between 1973 and 2022, when there were interleague games and the National League was the home team, the American League team did not use a DH, and their pitchers took their turn at bat.
  Records
  Most runs batted in as cleanup hitter
  Below is a list of Major League Baseball players with the most runs batted in (RBI) from the cleanup spot as of the end of the 2020 season.
  Most games played as cleanup hitter
  Below is a list of Major League Baseball players with the most games played in the cleanup spot as of the end of the 2020 season.
  Most plate appearances as cleanup hitter
  Below is a list of Major League Baseball players with the most plate appearances from the cleanup spot as of the end of the 2020 season.