Adopted into the league in 1973, the role of a designated hitter in baseball is to replace the pitcher in the batting order with another player in the line-up. Designated hitters can come into the game later on and take up one of the defensive positions, including the pitching role, but must be named before the start of the game. This makes strategizing an important factor when assigning a designated hitter in MLB The Show 24, as it can be the difference between victory and defeat.