Did the batter’s actions in the following play cause the pitcher to balk? If so, shouldn’t the balk be nullified?

The Guardians and Twins played a double header at Target Field on Aug. 9, 2024. In the seventh inning of the second game, plate ump Jim Wolf called a balk on Guardians pitcher Tim Herrin during Jose Miranda’s plate appearance scoring Christian Vázquez who was on third. Did Herrin stop his motion when Miranda started to step out of the batter’s box? If so, a balk should not be called. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt was ejected by Wolf after arguing the call.

• If the batter’s actions cause a pitcher to balk, there should be no call, and it is one of the rare “do-overs” in baseball.  If Herrin stopped his motion a moment after Miranda stepped away from the batter’s box, a balk should not have been called. Official Baseball Rule 5.04(b)(2) Comment reads, “If after the pitcher starts his windup or comes to a ‘set position’ with a runner on, he does not go through with his pitch because the batter has inadvertently caused the pitcher to interrupt his delivery, it shall not be called a balk. Both the pitcher and batter have violated a rule, and the umpire shall call time, and both the batter and pitcher start over from ‘scratch.'” If Wolf ruled that Herrin stopped his motion before Miranda stepped away from the box, then it should be called a balk. It appears that Herrin’s body moved while in the Set Position before Miranda stepped out of the box. If that was Wolf’s judgment, then a balk should have been called and rule 5.04 (b) (2) would not apply.

What’s your call?

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.