The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word PINCH-HIT
P
I
N
C
H
-
H
I
T
More clues leading to the result PINCH-HIT
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Substitute" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case substitute = pinch-hit.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PINCH-HIT mean?
PINCH-HIT verb- To bat in place of another player
- To do something in the place of another person who is not able to perform or is less skilled; to substitute or stand in for somebody.