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If an MLB playoff starter is scratched before the game, the team can use another pitcher who is eligible and listed on that game’s lineup card. The scratch does not automatically add a pitcher to the postseason roster. If the named starter remains on the lineup card when play begins, he generally must face the first batter unless the umpire-in-chief determines that injury or illness has incapacitated him.
Who can replace a scratched starter?
The manager can choose an available pitcher designated for that game, subject to MLB’s postseason rules. For the 2026 postseason, a maximum of 13 pitchers may be designated on a game lineup card. Players generally must be listed on the card to enter, apart from the rulebook’s specified exceptions. See the MLB postseason roster guidance and the 2026 Official Baseball Rules.
That leaves the manager to make a team-specific decision based on the eligible pitchers and their availability. The replacement could be another starter, a bulk reliever, or a bullpen-oriented plan; MLB’s rules set eligibility, not how the club must allocate innings.
Does a scratch let the team add a pitcher?
No. A change to the game’s pitching assignment is different from replacing a player on the postseason roster. MLB clubs submit a 26-player roster for each postseason series. If a player is injured during a series, the club may request permission from the Commissioner’s Office to replace that player; approval is not automatic. If approved, a pitcher must be replaced by a pitcher, and a position player by a position player.
#1 Best Overall
- 25 GAME SCOREBOOK: This scorebook comes with clean, easy-to-follow lineup sheets that you can use to keep track of lineups, stats, scores and more for 25 games
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- EASY FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS: This scorebook comes with an instruction sheet with easy-follow directions on how to score your games
- 16 PERSON LINEUP: Each sheet comes with 16 lineup spots to keep track of the bench or any extra hitters in the lineup
- TEAM ROSTER SHEET: This book includes a back cover team roster page to keep track of all the players on the roster as well as important contact info
A player replaced during a series is ineligible for the remainder of that round and the subsequent round, if there is one. A September 30, 2026 MLB notice illustrates the process: after a medical review, the Commissioner’s Office approved Boston’s request to replace injured position player Roman Anthony with Curtis Mead for the Wild Card Series. MLB said Anthony would be ineligible for the Division Series if Boston advanced, but eligible for the Championship Series. That position-player example illustrates the approval process, not a pitcher-specific ruling.
What if the scratched pitcher is still listed when the game starts?
Under Official Baseball Rule 5.10(f), the pitcher named in the lineup must pitch to the first batter, or a substitute batter, until that batter is put out or reaches first base. The exception is when the umpire-in-chief judges that injury or illness has incapacitated the pitcher. The rule concerns the pitcher named on the lineup card when play begins; a pregame scratch should therefore be reflected in the club’s game plan and lineup arrangements.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 35 Games Baseball & Softball Scorebook - Side by Side: perfect scorebook for scorekeepers wanting to track stats throughout the long season - track up to 35 games per score book for Adult, Youth, Little League, Men’s or Women’s League Baseball or Softball Teams.
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- 16 Player Roster Spots: one-page, side-by-side layout to track 16 player roster positions for home and away team games. Standard size baseball softball scorebook - DIMENSIONS: 12" x 9" x 0.5".
- Spiral Bound Scorekeeping Book: log scores and stats for both the home and away team without having to flip pages back and forth. Simply close the score keeper book - one side for the home team and the other side for the away team.
- Durable Construction: spiral bound, thick construction was built to last throughout the 35 game season. Comes with easy-to-follow scorekeeping instructions. Bigger than our Standard Baseball Scorebook.
Rank #4
- 3 MAJOR UPGRADES: First, 2 blank pages are added for your creative notes. Second, go beyond extra innings with space for 2 extra innings. Third, enjoy clearer tracking with larger, bolder diamonds. Designed for the dedicated scorer—where detail meets freedom
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- DURABLE HARDCOVER SCOREBOOK: The leather hard back cover can protect the inner pages from damage while facilitating writing. The heavy-duty paper won't get damaged due to repeated rubbing. Durable like a hardback book which easy to store
- 65 GAME PREMIUM SCOREBOOK: 5 more games than others. Our baseball scorebook is large enough to record data of both the home and away teams, and individual data in 65 games and conduct a season summary, comprehensive enough to cover an entire season
- 16 PLAYERS, 2 EXTRA INNINGS : By using our score keeping book, the scorekeeper can record the player positions, inning scores, fielding, scoring, pitching, and batting in each game. 1 more extra inning than others, accompanying you until the end of the game
Rank #3
- Premium Baseball Softball Scorebook - 60 GAMES: twice as many games as your standard scorebook - keep track of stats all season long with our premium durable blue spiral bound hardcover baseball softball stat book.
- Efficient Scorekeeping With Side-by-Side Layout: dedicated sections for stats, roster, and season schedule. Our side-by-side scoring layout allows the scorekeeper to view both the home and away teams at the same time. The enlarged Pitch Count feature has more space to easily log this metric throughout the game.
- Top-Tier Score Tracker: Elevate your scorekeeping game with our premium score tracker book, the perfect companion for dedicated score keepers and enthusiasts seeking a comprehensive and stylish solution - capture every play with precision, an ideal tool for any baseball or softball scorebook keeper.
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- Convenient Scoring Dimensions: Our 60-Game scorebook dimensions are 13" L x 11" W x 1" H making it convenient enough to throw in a gym, coach or player bag and easily transport from game to game. The scoring template writing surface is much bigger than your standard 12” x 9” x 1” scorebook.
Rank #2
- BIGGER AND BETTER: Generous 11" x 14" size; extra writing room for each batter. Includes all the same features of the regular System-17 scorebook with more room for stats
- LONG LASTING: Made for 24 games.
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What this means for fans
- A new starting pitcher does not necessarily mean a new postseason-roster player: the replacement may already be eligible for the game.
- The 13-pitcher limit is a designation limit for an MLB postseason game in 2026, not a guarantee that the club has 13 available pitchers for a particular matchup.
- A scratch by itself does not establish that the game will be postponed or that ticket arrangements will change; the rules cited here do not set a general postponement or ticket remedy for a scratched starter.
- These limits describe MLB’s 2026 postseason. Other seasons and competitions may have different rules.
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