The Dodgers and Nationals played at Nationals Park on April 8, 2025. In the top of the seventh, Austin Barnes was facing Orlando Ribalta with Andy Pages on first base when Barnes hit a pop fly in the area of the pitcher’s mound. Ribalta dropped the ball then threw to first base to apparently retire Barnes. Pages then got into a rundown and was retired.

It appeared the Nationals had executed an unorthodox double play, but the umpires (Tom Hanahan, Chris Guccione, David Rackley, and Edwin Moscoso) huddled and determined that Ribalta had intentionally dropped a fly ball. The play was ruled dead. Barnes was declared out, and Pages was returned to first base.

Ruleball Comments

• Rule 5.09 (a) (12) reads, “A batter is out when an infielder intentionally drops a fair fly ball or line drive, with first, first and second, first and third, or first, second and third base occupied before two are out. The ball is dead, and runner or runners shall return to their original base or bases.” The rule also applies to an outfielder who intentionally drops a fly ball near the infield to set up a double play situation.
• In my opinion, Ribalta did not intentionally drop the ball and was not in violation of rule 5.09 (a) (12). It appeared that he was in the act of making the transfer and took his eyes off the ball to make a play on Pages.
• With that said, I think umpires are apt to err on the side of caution to protect the runner/s when an infielder drops a lazy pop fly or line drive. But if you look at Ribalta’s body language I think there was a good chance that intent was not involved. However, this was a judgment call and the judgment of the umpires on the field is what counts.
• If Ribalta wanted to exchange runners, he could have allowed the ball to fall to the ground untouched and then attempt to put out the faster of the two runners. This is an old strategy that is used excluding an Infield Fly Rule situation.
• The White Sox hosted the Indians on Sept. 4, 2017, when Sox shortstop Tim Anderson tried to deke the Indians in the top of the fourth by purposely dropping a line drive. The Indians had Carlos Santana on first base and no outs when Yandy Díaz ripped a line drive to Anderson. Anderson secured the ball in his glove before dropping it which was a giveaway that he intentionally dropped the ball to get a DP. Second base umpire Manny Gonzalez immediately called “Time” and killed the play. This protected the Indians from the deceptive act which is an old trick in the game to get a double play or triple play.

Russell Drops Line Drive in the 1978 WS

I am often asked about the famous Reggie Jackson play in Game Four of the 1978 WS played between the Dodgers and Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Many are of the opinion that Jackson intentionally got hit by Dodgers’ shortstop Bill Russell’s throw to first. And maybe he did-only Reggie knows.

But nobody addresses the beginning of the play when Russell, a good fielding shortstop, dropped a line drive that could have easily set up a double play.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Yankees trailing 3-1, had Thurman Munson on second and Jackson on first with one out when Lou Piniella rapped a line drive to Russell who dropped the ball. Second base umpire Joe Brinkman made no call thinking that the ball was not dropped intentionally. Following the dropped ball, Munson went several feet in front of Russell. If Munson was closer to the base, Russell could have tagged Munson and stepped on second for the double play. Instead, Russell stepped on second to force out Jackson and then threw to first hoping for the inning-ending double play. The ball hit Jackson in the basepath and ricocheted toward the right field corner in foul territory. Munson scored on the play and Piniella stayed at first. This made the score 3-2 in a game the Yankees won 4-3 in 10-innings.

First base ump Frank Pulli judged that Jackson did not intentionally get hit by the throw which led to a long argument with Dodgers, skipper Tom Lasorda who was bitter about the play the rest of his life.

Since 1978 it has been debated whether or not Jackson intentionally got hit by Russell’s throw. I once asked Jackson if he purposely got hit by the throw and his answer was, “I had the right to be where I was.”

From my perspective, it is not a normal baseball move to intentionally get hit by a thrown ball- a pitched ball yes, a thrown ball no. But it does not mean that Jackson did not intentionally get hit by the throw.

But few raise the possibility of Russell intentionally dropping Piniella’s line drive which occurred before Jackson was hit by the throw. If Brinkman had ruled intent on Russell’s part, and killed the play, it would be a forgotten moment in WS history and there’s a good chance the Dodgers would have won the game. Umpire Bill Haller, who worked the left field line that game said, “I assumed he (Russell) intentionally dropped the ball, but nothing happened.” He added, “Nobody said anything about it.”

On the other hand, if Russell dropped the line drive and turned it into an inning-ending double play, and the Dodgers won the game which would have given them a three games to one lead in the series, the focus historically would have centered on Russell, especially if the Dodgers had won the series.

Two eternal questions remain in reference to this play: (1) Did Russell intentionally drop Piniella’s line drive; and (2) did Jackson intentionally get hit by Russell’s throw.

Only two people know those answers- Bill Russell and Reggie Jackson.
And if Haller had umpired second base that night, there’s a good chance the Dodgers would have won the game and the Series.

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