Baseball and Softball Nutrition: Game Day Fuel Guide

Baseball and softball are mostly standing and waiting, broken up by short sprints, throws and swings. The energy cost per hour is moderate, but games are long, and weekend tournaments can mean three or four games in a day. Pitchers and catchers work much harder than outfielders. Slowpitch leagues are often evenings in summer, sometimes as doubleheaders.

Calories burned

415

kcal / h, 75 kg

How many calories does baseball and softball burn?

Before the game

A single slowpitch game does not need special fuel. A normal meal with carbs and protein a few hours before is enough. For a tournament, fuel matters more: start the day with a solid breakfast, staying in the 1 to 4 g of carbohydrate per kg range across the hours before your first game, then plan snacks between games.

3 to 4 hours before: a real meal

Eggs, toast and a bowl of fruit
Turkey and cheese sandwich with grapes
Chicken and rice with corn
Oatmeal with banana and maple syrup

30 to 60 minutes before: a small snack

A banana
A handful of pretzels
A peanut butter sandwich half

Egg White bread Turkey breast Cheddar cheese Grapes Chicken breast White rice Sweet corn Oatmeal (cooked)Banana Maple syrup Pretzels Peanut butter

During

Long innings in the field and long waits in the dugout make it easy to forget to eat or drink. Keep a bottle in the dugout and drink each half-inning. On tournament days, eat a small carb snack between games and aim for about 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour across the long hours of play. Sunflower seeds are a dugout classic: fine for something to chew, but they are not much fuel.

After

After the game, have 20 to 40 g of protein with carbs. Post-game team food is often pizza and beer: pizza can cover carbs and some protein, but add water, and keep in mind alcohol can slow rehydration and recovery.

Chocolate milk
Grilled chicken sandwich with a side of watermelon
Pizza with a side salad and a big glass of water
Greek yogurt with cherries

Chocolate milk Chicken breast Whole wheat bread Watermelon Cheese pizza Romaine lettuce Greek yogurt (plain, nonfat)Cherries

Hydration

Summer ball means hours in direct sun with little shade on the field. Even at moderate effort, you can lose a lot of fluid over a doubleheader. Drink every half-inning, try to keep weight loss under 2% of body weight, and add a sports drink or salty snacks on hot tournament days. Replace about 1.25 to 1.5 L for every kg lost after the day ends. Catchers in full gear sweat the most. Sweat rate calculator.

Tips

Bring a cooler to tournaments with water, sports drinks, fruit and sandwiches.
Catchers and pitchers need more fluid and fuel than outfielders.
Eat between games even when you do not feel hungry. The last game of the day is often the one that counts.
Use the dugout shade between innings.

Questions

What should I eat before a softball game?

A normal meal with carbs and protein a few hours before is enough for one game. For tournaments, start with a solid breakfast and snack between games.

What should I eat between games at a baseball tournament?

Small, easy foods: sandwiches, bananas, pretzels, grapes and a sports drink. Avoid big greasy meals between games.

Do baseball players need sports drinks?

On hot days and long tournaments they can help with carbs and sodium. For one evening game in mild weather, water is usually enough.

Are sunflower seeds good for baseball?

They are a fine habit for the dugout and add some fat, protein and salt, but they are not a full meal or a carb source for energy.

Sources

Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement: nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543-568.
Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33.
American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(2):377-390.
Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: a third update of the energy costs of human activities. J Sport Health Sci. 2024;13(1):6-12. Activity lists at pacompendium.com.

Baseball and softball nutrition