Play No. 1: Runner Makes No Effort to Retouch Base

The Cubs and Cardinals played at Busch on June 26, 2025. In the top of the first inning, the Cubs had Ian Happ on first base and one out when Seiya Suzuki, facing Andre Pallante, hit a drive deep to right. Alec Burleson made a great over-the-shoulder catch.

Happ, who got a good jump, had rounded second but had to return to first because he never tagged-up. He scrambled back to first but instead of retouching second he ran around second base umpire Ramon De Jesus. Burleson in an attempt to double-up Happ, threw wide to first baseman Willson Contreras and Happ returned safely. But the Cardinals appealed that Happ failed to touch second base on his return and was called out on appeal. The appeal throw went from Contreras to shortstop Masyn Winn who tagged second base. De Jesus made the out call.

Ruleball Comments

• Happ incredibly made no effort to retouch second base. A nine-year veteran, I’m sure he knew the rule. I can only assume he had a brain cramp. This is not your normal “no retouch” play.
• Fortunately for Happ, his running faux pas did not affect the outcome of the game as the Cubs won, 3-0.
• Credit the Cardinals for making a continuous action appeal. But Contreras could have simply tagged Happ while he was standing on first base while making the appeal.

Play No. 2: Runner Makes No Attempt to Return to Previous Base: Retouch of Base Not Necessary

The Red Sox and Tigers played at Comerica on May 14, 2025. In the bottom of the ninth with the score tied, 5-5, Trey Sweeney was at bat facing Aroldis Chapman with Andy Ibáñez on first base and no outs. Ibáñez attempted to steal second. Catcher Carlos Narváez’s throw sailed into center field allowing Ibáñez to advance to third.

When Ibáñez slid into second, he lost contact with the base before heading to third. Red Sox manager Alex Cora challenged the play because Ibáñez never retouched second base before advancing to third.

The “no-call” on the field was confirmed.

Ruleball Comments

• Crew Chief Alan Porter explained that because Ibáñez made no attempt to return to first base, he was not required to retouch second base before advancing to third base.
• Also, Ibáñez never went beyond the base to require a retouch.
• Justyn-Henry Malloy subsequently singled Ibáñez home with the winning run.

Play No. 3: Runner Makes Attempt to Return to Previous Base: Retouch of Base is Necessary

The Brewers hosted the Dodgers on Aug. 14, 2024, at American Family Field. In the bottom of the fourth, Brice Turang was at bat facing Anthony Banda with Joey Ortiz on first base and one out. Turang hit a fair ball down the left field line that barely touched the painted foul line. Ortiz, not knowing where the ball was, slid into second base. He then took a couple of steps back to first, apparently thinking the ball was caught. Realizing the ball wasn’t caught, Ortiz then took off for third base and failed to retouch second base. Meanwhile, Turang advanced to second.

With runners on second and third and the action stopped, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts went to the mound. He apparently wanted to discuss the appeal procedure with Banda. When the meeting concluded, plate umpire David Rackley put the ball back in play. Banda stepped back off the rubber and threw to second base to appeal Ortiz’s violation. Second base umpire Nate Tomlinson called Ortiz out. At the time the Brewers led 4-3 in a game they would win, 5-4.

Ruleball Comments

• How did the Dodgers execute the appeal? I would rather have seen a continuous action appeal, but for some reason “Time” was called and the ball went to the mound.
• I think Dave Roberts made a good move to convene a meeting at the mound before a pitch was thrown to ensure that Banda would make a proper appeal of Ortiz’s violation. If a pitch was thrown the Dodgers would lose the right to appeal or if Banda made a play on a runner the Dodgers would lose the right to appeal.
• Banda properly stepped back off the rubber and made the appeal throw to second base and Ortiz was called out. A pitcher can make an appeal play while on or off the rubber.
• In my opinion, because the continuous action appeal was not an option after the ball went to the mound and action had stopped, the most practical way to handle this appeal was to have Banda run to third base and tag Ortiz. If a throw to third went into dead ball territory, the Dodgers would lose the right to appeal. Because Banda was throwing as a fielder, Ortiz would score and so would Turang who was on second base and would get the two-base award. If Banda’s appeal throw to second was errant, the Dodgers could still appeal Ortiz, but Turang could have advanced.

When Ortiz took a couple of steps off second base back toward first, the force was reinstated per rule 5.09 (b) (6) and was still in effect at the time of the appeal because Oritz never retouched second base. If there were two outs when this occurred, the inning would have ended in a force and the run would be negated because of the inning-ending force.

Play No. 4: Runner Takes One Step Beyond the Base: Runner Must Retouch Base with either foot

This is the most common type of a runner failing to retouch a base

The Dodgers and Padres opened the season on March 20, 2024, in Seoul, S. Korea when Shohei Ohtani was called out on appeal for failure to retouch second base. Here is what happened.

In the top of the eighth, Freddie Freeman was batting with Mookie Betts on second and Ohtani on first with one out when Freeman flied to Fernando Tatis Jr. in deep right field. Betts tagged-up and advanced to third. Ohtani never tagged-up thinking the ball would not be caught. He went beyond second base and returned to first when he was aware the ball was caught. But Ohtani failed to retouch second base on his return.

The Padres executed a continuous action appeal and Ohtani was called out for failing to retouch second base. The ball went from Tatis Jr. to first baseman Jake Cronenworth to shortstop Ha-Seong Kim who tagged second base making the appeal.

Ohtani was retired for the third out of the inning in which the Dodgers scored four runs en route to their 5-2 win.

Ruleball Comments

1. When a runner must retouch a base, it is often problematic if the runner is just a half step or a step beyond the base. Because of his proximity to the bag, he loses his concentration and sight line to the base and often fails to retouch. Also, the footwork when only a half step or a step is involved can get tricky. In my opinion, runners on all levels need instruction in this area.
2. Runners must be aware that if they remove their pivot foot from the base once they have taken a step toward the next base, they must retouch the base with either foot before returning to first base.
3. It’s best for the defensive team to make a continuous action appeal as the Padres did. The appeal could have been executed as it was done, or Ohtani could have been tagged while standing on first base.
4. Making an appeal from the rubber has its dangers. Four possibilities can happen and three are bad which will nullify the right to appeal. The one positive is that the appeal is successfully made. The three negatives that deny the right to appeal include: (1) If the pitcher balks when making the appeal; (2) If the pitcher errs while making the appeal by throwing the ball into dead ball territory; and (3) If the pitcher makes a play on another runner before making the proper appeal. Those reasons enforce the idea that the defensive team should keep continuous action, when possible, while making an appeal.
5. If the pitcher makes an errant throw while making the appeal, the appeal can still be made as long as the ball does not go into dead ball territory.
6. The pitcher can only balk when there is a runner on base. Let’s say there is a runner on third and one out when the batter flies deep to left. The runner leaves too soon, and the defensive team foolishly calls “Time.” The umpire puts the ball in play and the pitcher does something that would normally constitute a balk. But because there are no runners on base, a balk cannot be called, and the appeal can still be made.
7. Infielders must be coached to determine when a runner fails to retouch a base. Notice in the video of the above play that Padres’ third baseman Tyler Wade pointed to the violation to alert the fielders to make the appeal. Good job.
8. This type of violation is reviewable.
9. Let’s say in the above play Betts was on third at the start of play. If he had tagged-up from third and crossed the plate before the third out was recorded via the appeal, the run would score because the third out would not have been the result of a force out. This would be a “Time Play.”

Play No. 5: Runner Steps Beyond Base and Fails to Retouch; Runner Must Retouch Base with either foot

The Houston Astros hosted the Texas Rangers in Game One of the 2023 ALCS. In the bottom of the eighth inning the Astros had Jose Altuve on first base and no outs when Alex Bregman flied deep to left center. Altuve reached second base and returned to first. The ball was caught by Evan Carter who tossed to Corey Seager. The Rangers’ shortstop then threw to second baseman Marcus Semien who stepped on second to appeal that Altuve did not make a legal retouch of the base. The Rangers had properly made a continuous action appeal.

Second base umpire Doug Eddings had no violation, but Rangers’ manager Bruce Bochy challenged the “no call” and the Replay Official ruled that Altuve did not make a legal retouch of the base, and he was called out. At the time, the Astros trailed 2-0 which proved to be the final score.

The Violation

Altuve planted his right foot on second base and stepped toward third with his left foot. When he decided to return, he dropped his right foot to the infield side of second base and crossed over the base with his left foot, never retouching the base with either foot. To have made a proper retouch, he would have had to touch the base with either foot once he raised his right foot off the base.

Because the Astros lost the game, 2-0, one can only speculate if the running miscue affected the outcome of the game and the ALCS won by the Rangers in seven games.

Rich Marazzi

Rules consultant/analyst: Angels, D’backs, Dodgers, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees, Bally Sports, YES, and NBC Sports Chicago.