The Royals hosted the White Sox on April 6, 2024. In the bottom of the seventh in a scoreless game, the Royals had Salvador Perez on first base when MJ Melendez hit a shot to deep center. The ball struck the wall and deflected off the glove of Dominic Fletcher and then carried over the wall. The ruling was a home run. This gave the Royals a 2-0 lead in a game they would win, 3-0.

Was awarding Melendez with a home run the proper ruling?

Ruleball Comments

• The answer is “NO.” Melendez should have been awarded two bases and Perez should have been sent to third and the game should have remained scoreless. Once the ball made contact with the wall, it was no longer “in flight,” and it should have been a two-base award for all runners where they are positioned on the bases at the time the pitch was delivered.
• “In flight” describes a batted, thrown, or pitched ball which has not yet touched the ground or “some object” other than a fielder.
• If the ball is deflected directly over the wall after making contact with the fielder’s glove, then it would be a home run because the ball remained “in flight.” But once the ball hit the wall which is considered an “object,” it was no longer “in flight.”
• The slo-mo replay does show the ball making contact with the wall before deflecting off Fletcher’s glove.
• In my opinion, the Official Rules of Major League Baseball needs to be more succinct in explaining examples of “some object.” It needs more meat. The facing of the outfield wall is an example of “some object.” Why not add that to the definition
• You might look at the facing of the wall as an extension of the ground.
• The top of the wall is not “some object.” If a batted ball strikes the top of the outfield wall and continues over the wall in fair territory, it’s a home run because the ball has remained “in flight.”
• If a fly ball strikes the top of an outfield wall in fair territory and bounds back onto the playing field, it should be treated the same as a fair fly ball that strikes the facing of the outfield wall and rebounds back onto the playing field because in that case the ball is no longer “in flight” but the ball cannot be caught for the purpose of an out.
• If a fair fly ball strikes the top of the outfield wall and remains on the top of the wall, it’s a two-base award. This is also true if a spectator picks up a ball that has landed on top of the wall and stopped.
• A fair fly ball that strikes the top of the outfield wall and is picked up by a spectator while the ball is in motion is ruled a home run.
• If a fly ball is on top of the outfield wall, the fielder can keep the ball alive by swatting it back onto the playing field, but it cannot be ruled a catch. I saw this once ironically in Kansas City.
• To be fair, this was a difficult to play to see with the human eye, but I think the play should have been challenged. Also, because of the nature of the play, this could have gone to a Crew Chief review because it raised the possibility of a potential home run.
• The umpires’ decision to call or not to call a home run may be a Crew Chief review if there is a question as to whether the ball left the playing field in flight or struck an object; whether the ball struck the top of a fence, hit a railing or otherwise stayed within the field of play; whether the ball was interfered with by a fan reaching over the fence; or whether the ball was fair or foul.
• It’s apparent that the umpires and the White Sox bench did not think the ball hit the wall before the deflection. If they did, it would be a misinterpretation of the rules.               
  

  Summary

In reference to the Melendez/Fletcher play, if a fair batted ball strikes the facing of the wall and makes contact with a fielder or the ground then goes over the wall, it’s a two- base award. You might recall the following play. 

The Rays and Red Sox played Game Three of the 2021 ALDS at Fenway Park. In the top of the 13^th with the score tied 4-4, the Rays had Yandy Diaz on first base and two outs when Kevin Kiermaier ripped a shot to deep right-center. The ball hit the wall on the fly, then deflected off Red Sox right fielder Hunter Renfroe and into the bullpen. It was properly ruled a book-rule double. The umpires held Díaz at third and Kiermaier was awarded second base. Since Diaz was on first base when the pitch was delivered, he was awarded third base even though he could have scored on the play. His position on the basepaths was irrelevant regarding the moment of the deflection because the base award is made by the position of the runners at the time the pitch was delivered.

The same holds true for the Melendez/Fletcher play. If the play was properly ruled, Perez should have been awarded third base regardless of his position on the bases when the ball was deflected over the wall and Melendez should have been awarded second base. 

If a fielder has complete possession of a batted or thrown ball and intentionally deflects or kicks the ball out of play, the award is two bases from the position of the runners at the time the ball was kicked or deflected. This would be very rare.

The lesson here is that if there is any question whether or not a batted ball leaves the playing field “in flight” or is deflected over a wall, it would be wise to ask for a Crew Chief review.  This would not count as a challenge and the umpires will most likely review the play.

Rule 5.05 (a) (9) covers a fair fly ball that is deflected into the stands, but it does not include the “in flight” aspect of 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.