The Cardinals and Red Sox played at Fenway on April 4, 2025. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Sox had Triston Casas on third base and Wilyer Abreu on first and one out when Kristian Campbell hit a fly ball down the right field line. Cards’ right fielder Jordan Walker caught the fly on the run and his momentum took him partially into the spectator area. Casas tagged-up from third and scored. Abreu remained on first base.

The umpires on the field ruled spectator interference. The call was challenged by Cards’ manager “Oli” Marmol. The Replay Official overturned the fan interference call. The Replay Official “determined that the spectator did not reach out onto the field of play and interfere. The contact between the fielder and spectator occurred in the stands. The call is OVERTURNED, no spectator interference, it is a catch.”

The Replay Official determined that the runner on third base scores and the runner on first base remains at first base. The call is CONFIRMED. Casas was allowed to score and Abreu was kept at first base.

Ruleball Comments

• According to rule 6.01(e), When there is spectator interference with any thrown or batted ball, the ball shall be dead at the moment of interference and the umpire shall impose such penalties as in his opinion will nullify the act of interference.
• In the above play, when fan interference was originally called on the field, the umpires scored the run and kept Abreu on first base because they judged Casas would have scored on the play had there been no interference, but Abreu would not advance to second base because he would have been closer to throw.
• The Replay Official overturned the fan interference call, but upheld the crew’s decision in placing the runners because if there was fan interference, that’s where the runners would have advanced to or remained. Contrary to what many broadcasters say, fan interference is not an automatic two-base award. The rule empowers umpires to make an arbitrary base award meaning they can place the runner/s to the base they would have made had there been no interference.
• Because the fan int. was overturned, the Cardinals kept their challenge.
• Spectator interference is a rare type of interference that can protect both the offensive and defensive team. The batter can be called out, but the runner/s can also advance.
• If the interference occurs a good distance from the infield, the manager of the offensive team should argue that his runner/s should advance because of the distance of the throw. I would suggest if a ball is hit deep down the foul lines, the runner/s should remain in a tag-up position and rush to plate if the situation allows. If the ball is caught and remains in play, the runner should be in a good position to advance to the next base. If the fielder carries the ball into the stands and leaves the field of play, the runner/s will be awarded one base, but they are required to tag-up because the fly ball is caught. By staying on the base in a tag-up position, they have met the tag-up requirement if they are awarded one base and will not be called out on appeal.
• Casas did the proper thing by tagging-up and motoring home as soon as Walker touched the ball.
• There wasn’t much Abreu could do because he was much closer to the outfielder.
• In a flip-flop of the above play, the umpires had no fan interference in the following play, but the Replay Official overturned the decision to fan interference. The Pirates hosted the Cards on April 7th. In the bottom of the second, the Bucs had Andrew McCutchen on second base and one out when Joey Bart hit a ball deep to center. A fan reached over the wall and interfered with the ball. The Replay Official ruled fan interference but kept Bart on third and allowed McCutchen to score because in his judgment those are the bases the runners would have made had there been no interference. You can view the play by going to the link below.

Rich Marazzi

Rules consultant/analyst: Angels, Dodgers, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees, YES, and Chicago Sports Network