The Marlins and Rays played at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa on June 6, 2025 in front of 8,448 fans. In the top of the third, Xavier Edwards was batting facing the Rays’ Zack Littell with Dane Myers on second and no outs trailing, 1-0. Edwards bunted the ball to the third base side of the mound. The ball was fielded by Littell who threw to first baseman Jonathan Randa. The throw took Randa into Edwards and the two collided. The ball landed down the right field line several feet beyond first base where it was fielded by Rays second baseman Curtis Mead.

It appeared that Myers scored on the play to tie the score, but he was sent back to second because Edwards was called out for batter-runner runner interference by plate umpire Chad Fairchild and runners cannot advance on such plays. Both Edwards and Marlins’ manager Clayton McCullough were subsequently ejected for arguing the interference call. The Marlins never scored in the inning in a game they lost, 4-3.

Ruleball Comments

⦁ My late friend, Steve Palermo the great umpire, once told me, when an umpire is making a call that can go either way, which one can he best defend during an argument. The above play might be an example.
⦁ Looking at the total play and the provisions of rule 5.09 (a) (11) that relate to batter-runner interference, I think a case could be made that no interference should have been called unless Edwards was running on the grass and interfered with Randa which I could not determine.
⦁ The 45-foot long, 3-foot wide, Runner’s Lane the last 45-feet between home and first was established in 1881. It was designed to protect the fielder taking the throw at first base. For the 2024 season, the Runner’s Lane was widened to the grass on the fair side of the line. In all major league venues, on the fair side of the foul line dirt is good and grass is bad.
⦁ Not all playing fields have the same distance of dirt to the infield grass. The distance between the foul line and the infield grass should be between 18 and 24 inches in all parks. Originally, some limited grace periods were granted by MLB due to difficulty in modifying the field (e.g., synthetic turf field).
⦁ The batter-runner is now deemed in compliance with the rule as long as both feet remain on the dirt path between home and first. This has
especially benefitted right-handed batters because they can now run in a more direct path to first base and no longer have to cross over into the Runner’s Lane to be protected from the batter-runner interference call.
⦁ In the above play, from the video provided it was difficult for me to determine if Edwards was running on the grass. Maybe Fairchild had a better view. If you watch the video carefully you will see that he was in position, focused and well prepared to make the call.
⦁ I question why Edwards was anywhere near the grass on the fair side of the foul line? Being a left-handed batter, he virtually had a direct path to first base from the batter’s box. It did not appear that his momentum on the bunt took him several feet into fair territory.
⦁ Regarding the conditions of the rule, the fielder who is throwing to the base must make a throw and the throw must be a quality throw that has a chance to retire the batter-runner. Of course, that becomes umpire judgment.
⦁ I question if Littell’s errant throw was a quality throw that had a chance to retire Edwards. But if you took Edwards out of the play, I think the throw might have been good enough for a major league first baseman to handle, but it was certainly questionable, and the degree of difficulty was enhanced with Edwards approaching the base. But, Fairchild judged that the throw was a quality throw and his opinion is final.
⦁ Aranda was almost seriously injured on the play when Edwards and Aranda collided leading to Aranda losing his glove.
⦁ Again, here was a situation where the first baseman in a late or slow developing play could have avoided the collision if he took the throw in a stretch position.
⦁ From the stretch position, Aranda’s glove would not be in the path of the batter-runner and the ball would get to him faster and safer.
⦁ Being an interference play, it was not reviewable.
⦁ One of the broadcasters placed the responsibility on first base umpire Ben May to make the call. But almost 100% of the time this is the plate umpire’s call.
⦁ Edwards complained that Aranda interfered with his right to the base. This would not be a legitimate argument because Aranda was in the act of fielding the throw and had the right to be where he was.
⦁ There are some plays when a collision between the batter-runner and the fielder taking the throw at first base warrants no call if both the batter-runner and the fielder have the right to be where they were.

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