Play No. 1

The Twins and A’s played at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on June 3, 2025. In the top of the sixth inning, Brooks Lee, facing Jacob Lopez, hit a bouncer toward first base with two outs. A’s first baseman Tyler Soderstrom attempted to field the ball, he slipped and the ball deflected off him and appeared to have rolled into the hands of Lopez who went to cover first base. It appeared that Lopez had the ball in his bare hand while touching the base with his glove.

Lopez, lying on the ground, blocked the base causing Lee to run around him. In doing so, Lee never touched first base, but umpire Carlos Torres called Lee safe.

Ruleball Comments

• Though inconclusive, from what I could see on the video, Lee should have been called out because it appeared that Lopez tagged the base before Lee went beyond the base with both feet without touching it.
• Lee clearly did not touch the base. If Torres had a no touch, no tag, he should not have made a call. That would have been the proper mechanic.
• If Lee was not originally called out, in my opinion he should have been called out while Lopez made a relaxed appeal while Lee was returning. He can be seen tagging the base, obviously indicating that he tagged the base before Lee arrived or tagged the base as an appeal of the missed base.
• If Lee was close to the base, I would give Lee a chance to return and ignore the appeal because that would be an unrelaxed situation.
• Whatever, Torres judged that Lee was safe.
• I would not rule obstruction because the pitcher was in the act of fielding the ball when he blocked the base and impeded the progress of the batter-runner.  And the batter-runner was required to avoid the fielder making the play.
• In my opinion, A’s manager Mark Kotsay should have challenged the safe call.

The Manager Review Protocol of No Touch, No Tag Plays

If the fielder misses the tag on the runner, and the runner fails to touch the base, but the runner is called out by the umpire, the manager of the offensive team can challenge the call. This would not apply to the above play because the runner was called safe.

If the Replay Official determines that the fielder missed the tag, the Replay Official shall disregard the failure of the runner to touch the base and declare the runner “safe.”

If the defensive manager appeals the failure of a runner to touch the base prior to the Crew Chief making contact with the Replay Official and the Replay Official determines that the runner failed to touch the base, and the fielder failed to make a tag, the runner would be called “out.”

Play No. 2

Minor League game… Two outs, top of the fifth, bases loaded. View the play and see if you agree with my comments.

Ruleball Comments

• The runner who was originally on third scores because the force was removed when R1 (No. 4) ran through second base and R3 crossed the plate before the third out of the inning was recorded.
• When both runners were tagged on third base, the trail runner (No. 4) is out because No. 21, the lead runner, had the right to the base because he was not forced from third base at the start of the play. If it was determined that No. 21 was tagged off the base before No. 4 was tagged on the base, No. 21 would be out. In either case the inning would end there.
• If it was determined that No. 21 ran beyond third base down the left field line with No. 4 standing on the base, No. 4 would be out for passing the runner (No. 21) per rule 5.09 (b) (9) Comment.
• The third baseman was standing near the base without possession of the ball in the baseline of No. 21 who was in a rundown. You can make a case that Type 1 obstruction should have been called on the third baseman who was not in possession of the ball, nor was he in the act of receiving the throw and impeded the progress of No. 21 returning to third base. If so, No. 21 should have scored and No. 4 should have been given third base.
• If the umpires ruled that No. 4 ran out of the baseline or abandoned his rights as a runner, because he ran through second base, is in my opinion, nonsense.
• Following is the memo MLB sent out early in the season that I also sent in an earlier report. From this corner it is poorly researched and conflicts with existing rules.

Purposely over-running a base

The scenario here to consider when there are runners on first and third with two outs and there’s a groundball that causes the defense to grab the force play at second to end the inning. If there’s to be a close play at second, teams were teaching runners to not slow down and just keep running past the base as if it were first.

The theory was that if the player beat the throw at second and was ruled safe, the runner on third base would then score a run before the third out. Inevitably the runner going through the bag at second would then be ruled out of the baseline and the third out, but the run would still count.
The rule tweak here gives the replay official the ability to rule whether or not the runner heading through second base in this scenario has abandoned the baseline before the runner scores. If so, the run would not count.

Again, it’s a small tweak, but it eliminates the ability for teams to try and game the system here and sneak a run across the board. Instead of just sprinting through the bag like it’s first base, the runners will need to go back and treat the play like they normally would at second and either hold the bag or round it and head toward the next base.

Ruleball Comments to the MLB Memo

• To begin with, it’s doubtful whoever wrote this memo has read rules 5.09 (b) (2) and 5.09 (b) (1) and (2) Comment as it pertains to “runner abandonment.”
• Rule 5.09 (b) (2 ) reads, “Any runner is out when “after touching first base, he leaves the base path, obviously abandoning his effort to touch the next base.”
• Rule 5.09 (b) (1) and (2) Comment reads, “any runner after reaching first base who leaves the base path heading for his dugout or his position believing there is no further play, may be declared out if the umpire judges the act of the runner to be considered abandoning his efforts to run the bases. Even though an out is called the ball is in play regarding any other runner.” There is no indication that No. 4 was headed to the dugout or his position on defense after he ran through second base. No. 4 was running full speed toward third base. Also, I have no information that No. 4 was called out for abandonment.
• The MLB memo reads, “The rule tweak here gives the replay official the ability to rule whether or not the runner heading through second base in this scenario has abandoned the baseline before the runner scores. If so, the run would not count. This contradicts the runner abandonment rule because a runner who simply runs through a base does not by rule abandon his rights as a runner unless he leaves the base path and heads for his dugout or his position believing that there is no further play. This is a judgment call by the umpire who normally exercises patience when making a runner abandonment call. A runner who runs through a base by that act alone is not abandoning his efforts to run the bases. The batter-runner often does this when legging-out an infield ground ball. Should he be called out for abandonment? Of course not…
• Also, the memo incorrectly states that a runner abandons his baseline before the runner scores. If so, the run would not count.
• Is whoever wrote the memo aware that the runner does not have a restricted baseline unless he is avoiding a tag or is in a rundown? Rule 5.09 (b) (9) Comment allows a runner to run through or past a base without running out of the baseline. Is that a good rule? I’ll leave that for you to decide but that is the rule.
• Is playing smart baseball “gaming the system?” I don’t think so. If there is a loophole in the rule, fix it.
• My attempt to discover how the umpires ruled this play has been unsuccessful. I assume what we saw is how the inning ended.

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