The A’s and Angels played in Anaheim on June 26, 2024. In the top of the second, the A’s had runners on first and second with two outs when Max Schuemann doubled home two runs. Unfortunately for the A’s, only one run counted.

After going back to touch the plate, Bacon pointed at McCann and called him out, then pointed at Alvarez.

High Home:

Ruleball Comments

1. Once a runner has scored or is putout, he cannot assist another runner. Rule 6.01 (a) (5) reads, “It is interference by a batter or a runner when any batter or runner who has just scored, hinders or impedes any following play being made on a runner. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate.”
2. The A’s challenged McCann’s failure to touch the plate, but the Replay Official upheld the call on the field saying he definitively determined that the runner missed home plate. The call was CONFIRMED, the runner is out.
3.  It is legal for an active runner on the bases to assist a teammate. An active runner is one that has not been putout or has scored. The most common situation when this type of teammate assistance is legal are situations when a runner is about to pass another runner. Either runner can make contact with the other to prevent the passing. Or, it’s possible that two runners are headed to the plate and the preceding runner falls a few feet from the plate, the trail runner can push the preceding runner to the plate.
4. Once a runner is no longer an active runner, he is prohibited from assisting another runner. In the above play, Alvarez was no longer an active runner.
5. Crew Chief Alan Porter explained the call to a pool reporter after the game. “The runner (McCann) failed to touch home plate on his way by,” Porter said. “Not a problem. But then he was assisted by the runner (Alvarez) that scored. The fact he (McCann) missed the plate already, he needs to go back and touch . Prior to going back to retouch, he (McCann) was assisted by the runner (Alvarez). So that makes him (McCann) out. … A player cannot physically assist another player.”
6. I assume that Porter was speaking in context of the play and not in general. If he’s speaking in general, then that statement is flawed.  Active runners can assist each other. Runners don’t do it because in my opinion, most players aren’t aware that it’s legal for an active runner to assist a teammate.
7. The interference part of the above play was not reviewable.If the Replay Official ruled that the trail runner touched the plate, there could be no interference. Touching the plate would have occurred before the interference and the runner (McCann) would have scored a legal run.  And once the plate was touched, the player (Alvarez) who assisted McCann could not be charged with interference.  
8. You cannot take away Alvarez’s run, the runner who initially scored, because he scored a legal run. 
9. If McCann missed the plate and the Angels never challenged and catcher Matt Thais never tagged McCann, he would score because it is always assumed that the runner touches the base. To be called out, the runner must be appealed before the next pitch or play.
10. The base coaches cannot intentionally physically assist a runner. If a coach does so, the runner is out, and the ball remains alive. If there is an inadvertent collision between a base coach and a runner, it is not a violation, and the ball remains alive.

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.