Out (baseball)

In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired. When three outs are recorded in an inning, one might say that "the side is retired." An out is considered a putout when a runner or batter is retired as a result of direct action from a player on defense.

• The batter is out when:
  • the third strike is pitched and caught in flight;
  • on any third strike, if a baserunner is on first and there are fewer than two outs;
  • he bunts foul with two strikes;
  • he commits interference;
  • he fails to bat in his proper turn;
  • he hits a pitch with a foot enitirely outside of the batter's box;
  • he steps from one batter's box to the other when the pitcher is ready to pitch; or
  • he is found to have used an altered bat

• The batter-runner is out when:
  • A fielder with a live ball in possession touches first base before the batter-runner reaches first base (except when the batter is awarded first base, such as on a base on balls);
  • A batted ball is caught in flight;
  • He hits an infield popup while the infield fly rule applies; or
  • With fewer than two outs, an infielder touches a batted ball in-flight, but intentionally allows the ball to fall to the ground, for the purpose of getting some other runner out

• Any baserunner, other than the batter-runner, is out when:
  • he is forced out; that is, a fielder with a live ball in possession touches his force base before the runner reaches that base;
  • a fielder catches a batted ball in flight, and subsequently, some fielder with a live ball in possession touches the runner's time of pitch base before the runner tags up (appeal play);
  • while attempting to reach home base with fewer than two outs, the batter interferes with a fielder and such action hinders a potential tag out near home base; or
  • He is found to be an illegal substitute

• Any baserunner, including the batter-runner, is out when:
  • he is tagged out; that is, touched by a fielder's hand holding a live ball while in jeopardy, such as while not touching a base;
  • he passes a base without touching it and a member of the defensive team properly executes a live ball appeal;
  • he commits interference, such as when he contacts a fielder playing a batted ball, or when he contacts a live batted ball before it passes a fielder other than the pitcher;
  • he strays more than three feet (.91 meters) from his running baseline in attempting to avoid a tag;
  • he intentionally abandons his effort to run the bases; or
  • he runs the bases in reverse order in an attempt to confuse the defense or to make a travesty of the game.

Further reading