Is a runner always out when struck by a batted ball? The answer is “no.”

The Yankees and White Sox played at Guaranteed Rate Field on Aug. 13, 2024. In the top of the seventh, Aaron Judge was on first base and one out when a sizzling grounder off the bat of Austin Wells made contact with Judge who was positioned behind first baseman Andrew Vaughn. First base ump Ryan Additon called Judge out. Wells was credited with a base hit, and he replaced Judge on first base.

Should Judge have been called out?

Ruleball Comments

1. Rule 5.06 (c) (6) reads, “If a fair ball goes through, or by, an infielder, no other infielder has a chance to make a play on the ball and the ball touches a runner immediately behind the infielder that the ball went through, or by, the ball is in play and the umpire shall not declare the runner out…” The rule is repeated under 6.01 (a) (11).
2. If the ball deflected off Vaughn and made contact with Judge, the ball would be alive and in play. 
3. If the first baseman is playing behind the runner and the runner is hit by a batted ball, the runner is out. If the first baseman is playing in front of the runner and the runner is hit by a batted ball, the ball remains alive and in play as long as no other fielder can make a play. It is a combination of rules 5.09(b)(7) and 5.06 (c) (6).
4. For some reason, umpires are reluctant to make the call when a runner is struck by a batted ball and no other fielder has a chance of making a play on the ball. And the situation is not reviewable.
5. If you look at the High Home viewing link, you’ll get an idea of the distance between Chicago second baseman Lenyn Sosa and where Judge was struck by the ball. Could Sosa have made a play on the ball? I doubt it. The “Exit Velo” of the ball off Wells’ bat was 103.9 mph.   (BTW-looking at the link you will see where a spider steals the show.)
6. Yankees manager Aaron Boone discussed the play with Additon, but got nowhere. And since this is a judgment call whether or not Sosa could have made a play on the ball, the umpires are going to win the argument.
7. When a runner is hit by a batted ball and is called out, the ball is dead, the runner is out, and with less than two outs, the batter takes first base and gets credits for a hit. This makes no sense to me. Why should a batter get credit for a hit when a runner is called for interference? I talked to different official scorers about this, and they are in agreement.
8. A batted ball hit a runner in the Mets-D’backs game played at Chase Field on April 23, 2022.  In the bottom of the fifth inning, the D’backs had Seth Beer on first base with one out when Pavin Smith hit a sizzling shot past Mets’ first baseman Pete Alonso that struck Beer going from first to second. First base umpire Greg Gibson called Beer out. D’backs’ manager Torey Lovullo questioned if rule 5.06 (c) (6) was being interpreted properly. In his opinion, Robinson Canó, the second baseman, could not have made a play on the ball.  But the call remained because the umpires judged that Canó could have made a play on the ball. Lovullo asked for a RULES CHECK and was denied.
9. The “Exit Velo” on Smith’s ground ball was 101.8 mph. Did Canó have the lateral movement capability to make the play? I’m not a scientist, but I’m doubtful.  However, in Gibson’s opinion, Canó could have made a play on the ball and that’s all that matters.
10. Maybe someone can find new use for the “Exit Velo”- perhaps a new algorithm can be created to assist in plays like this.
11. It’s possible that umpires might act instinctively and call the runner out for getting hit by the batted ball. That’s what probably happened in the above play.  Ironically, Gibson was involved in the following play as well.                                             
12. The Royals hosted the Cardinals on Aug. 14, 2019.  The Cardinals had the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the seventh. The Royals had the infield in when Cardinals’ rookie Randy Arozarena hit a ground ball that just got by Royals’ shortstop Nicky Lopez and struck Yadier Molina, who was running from second to third.  Gibson, the plate umpire, called “Time” indicating that Molina was out for getting hit by the batted ball. Gibson reacted instinctively when he saw the ball hit Molina. But to Gibson’s credit, he did the right thing. He realized his mistake and explained to Royals’ manager Ned Yost that the ball should have been kept alive because Molina was struck by the ball behind the infielder (Lopez) and no other fielder had a chance to make a play on the ball.  Pro Rule 8.02 (c) allows the umpires to correct the situation.  The call was reversed allowing Matt Carpenter, the runner on third, to score and Molina to occupy third base. When the smoke cleared, Arozarena had collected his first major league hit in a most unusual way.
13. The base is not a sanctuary for the runner. If a runner is struck by a batted ball while occupying a base, the runner should be called out if an infielder can make a play on the ball. If the infielder cannot make a play on the ball, the runner would not be called out. Several years ago, Red Sox catcher Doug Mirabelli was hit by a batted ball while standing on third base. The ball was a slow trickler down the third base line and the third baseman was hoping the ball would go foul. Because the fielder wasn’t making a play on the ball, Mirabelli was not called out, even though the ball made contact with him while on the base. Remember, any type of interference can only be called if a runner hinders or impedes a fielder from making a play.
14. If a runner is struck by a fly ball while standing on a base and the umpires call the IFR, the runner is protected and is not out.   However, if it is not an IFR situation the runner can be called out for interference if he is on the base.
15. Edgar Martínez, the Hall of Fame DH, found himself in the middle of this rule on April 11, 1997, at Fenway Park where the Red Sox hosted the Mariners. In the top of the ninth, the M’s had Martínez on second and Jay Buhner on first with one out when Paul Sorrento hit a lazy pop fly that converged over second base. The umps invoked the IFR before the ball came down and struck Martínez  who was standing on second base. Martínez  got confused when he observed second base umpire John Hirschbeck making the out sign. Hirschbeck was merely endorsing the IFR. Thinking he was out, Martínez stepped off the base and was tagged out by Nomar Garciaparra for an unusual DP. Fortunately for Edgar, the M’s won the game, 5-3
16. Let’s say with a right-handed batter up the runner on first takes off with the pitch and the second baseman vacates his position to cover the base. The batter hits a shot between first and second and strikes the runner. According to the MLBUM, the runner is out.  Does that make sense? Who is the runner interfering with? In essence, that gives the defensive team a phantom infielder.
17. IMO, a factor why the rule is seldom invoked is a general lack of knowledge of the rule which over the years prevented managers and players from arguing such plays. I recall talking to Don Mattingly about this during spring training in 2004 when he was on the Yankees coaching staff and he said, “I played first base in the major leagues for 14 seasons and did not know the rule.”

Rich Marazzi

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