Out (baseball)

To signal an out, an umpire generally makes a fist with one hand, and then flexes that arm either upward, particularly on pop flies, or forward, particularly on routine plays at first base. Home plate umpires often use a "punch-out" motion to signal a called strikeout.

Ways of making outs

• The most common ways batters or runners are put out are when:
  • The batter strikes out (they make three batting mistakes, known as strikes, without hitting the ball into fair territory);
  • The batter flies out (they hit the ball and it is caught before landing);
    • A baserunner fails to return to their time-of-pitch base after a flyout occurs and a fielder with the ball touches the base;
  • a baserunner is tagged out (they are touched by the ball, held in an opponent's hand, while not on a base);
  • a baserunner is forced out (an opponent with the ball reaches the base the runner is forced to advance to before the runner does).
• The batter is out when:
  • Strikeout-related outs:
    • with two strikes, the batter swings at a pitched ball and misses;
    • with two strikes, they do not swing at a pitch that the umpire judges to be in the strike zone (and the catcher catches the ball and does not drop it);
    • with two strikes, the batter foul tips a pitch directly back into the catcher's mitt, and the catcher holds the ball and does not drop it;
    • with two strikes, they bunt a pitch into foul territory;
    • 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 (even when not caught);
  • Outs related to the batter's box:
    • they are hit by their own fair ball, outside the batter's box, before the ball is played by a fielder;
    • they hit a pitch while one foot is entirely outside the batter's box;
    • they step from one batter's box to the other when the pitcher is ready to pitch;
  • Other ways of being out:
    • they commit interference;
    • they fail to bat in their proper turn and is discovered in an appeal; or
    • they are found to have used an altered bat.
• Ways that runners can be out:
  • The batter-runner is out when:
    • a preceding runner interferes with a fielder trying to complete a double play on the batter-runner;
    • Tag-related outs:
      • a fielder with a live ball in their possession touches first base or tags the batter-runner before the batter-runner reaches first base (except when the batter is awarded first base, such as on a base on balls)
      • the batter-runner does not return directly to first base after overrunning the bag and they are tagged with the ball by a fielder.
    • Flyout-related outs:
      • a batted ball is caught in flight (fly out);
      • they hit an infield popup while the infield fly rule applies;
      • a fielder intentionally drops a line drive with fewer than two outs in a force situation (man on first, men on first and second, men on first and third, bases loaded) in an attempt to create a double play;
  • Any baserunner, other than the batter-runner, is out when:
    • they are forced out; that is, they fail to reach their force base before a fielder with a live ball touches 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 returns to it (appeal play);
    • while they are attempting to reach home plate with fewer than two outs, the batter interferes with a fielder and such action hinders a potential tag out near home plate;
    • they are found to have committed a mockery of the game, for example, a stolen base of first from the second; or
    • they are found to be an illegal substitute.
  • Any baserunner, including the batter-runner, is out when:
    • they are tagged out; that is, touched by a fielder's hand holding a live ball while in jeopardy, such as while not touching a base;
    • they stray more than three feet (0.9 meters) from their running baseline in attempting to avoid a tag;
    • they pass a base without touching it and a member of the defensive team properly executes a live ball appeal;
    • they pass a preceding runner who is not out;
    • they commit interference, such as when they contact a fielder playing a batted ball, or when they contact a live batted ball before it passes a fielder other than the pitcher;
    • they are touched by a fair ball in fair territory before the ball has touched or passed an infielder. The ball is dead and no runner may score, nor runners advance, except runners forced to advance. EXCEPTION: If a runner is touching their base when touched by an infield fly, they are not out, although the batter is out;
    • they intentionally abandon their effort to run the bases after touching first base; or
    • they run the bases in reverse order in an attempt to confuse the defence or to make a travesty of the game.

Note: When a fielder makes a putout, they must maintain secure possession of the ball. The general exception is when a fielder loses possession of the ball because they attempt to throw it immediately after making the out.