I once read that car accidents are often caused by a driver who didn’t see the other driver. I’m sure in some situations, neither driver saw the other.

This is true in the game of baseball when a runner impedes a defensive player from making a play or a defensive player hinders a runner who is circling the bases. The result is a baseball accident we refer to as interference or obstruction.

In the second game of the doubleheader between the Pirates and Tigers at Comerica on June 19, 2025, the following runner interference play occurred.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers had Jake Rogers on second and Trey Sweeney on first with one out when Colt Keith, facing Paul Skenes, hit a ground ball toward Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzalez. As Gonzalez was attempting to make the play, Sweeney interfered with him and was called out by second base umpire Chris Guccione.

Ruleball Comments

• When a fielder is attempting to field a batted ball, he has the “Right of Way.” In the above play, Gonzalez was protected.
• If you watch the video carefully, it’s doubtful that Sweeney was visually aware of Gonzalez’s location.
• Sweeney was charged with reckless running (interference) and was called out. Did Sweeney see Gonzalez? Was he aware of who had the “Right of Way” at this common, busy baseball intersection? I think the answer to both questions is “no.”
• The Pirates wanted a double play. If the umpires ruled intent on the part of Sweeney to break up a double play, then both Sweeney and Keith would be out. But the umpires did not rule intent, which I agree with, because from this corner Sweeney never saw Gonzalez to intentionally interfere.
• In the video, you will see Guccione explain the call and place the runners. He correctly explained that the runner (Sweeney) is out and the batter-runner (Keith) is placed at first base. But he incorrectly said, “The other runner (Rogers) is placed at third base.” Rogers was on second base at the time of the pitch and should have been placed on second base. This was subsequently corrected.
• Regarding runner interference calls: in the event the batter-runner has not reached first base, all runners shall return to the base last occupied at the time of the pitch.

Arozarena Runner Interference

The Angels and Rays played at the Trop on August 22, 2022, in a game won by the Rays, 2–1. In the bottom of the first, the Rays had Randy Arozarena on second and Isaac Paredes on first with one out when Harold Ramírez, facing Tucker Davidson, hit a ground ball between short and third. Angels third baseman Luis Rengifo and shortstop Andrew Velazquez both converged on the ball.

Arozarena collided with Rengifo before Velazquez fielded the ball and threw late to first base. Third base umpire David Rackley ruled that Arozarena interfered with Rengifo and was called out. Paredes replaced Arozarena at second, and Ramírez remained at first.

This was a classic runner interference call because Arozarena impeded Rengifo from making a play.

Ruleball Comments

• When there is the possibility that two or more fielders can field a batted ball, the umpire can protect the one who, in his judgment, has the best chance to field the ball. In the above play, Rackley chose to protect Rengifo per rule 6.01(a)(10), which reads:

“If two or more fielders attempt to field a batted ball, and the runner comes in contact with one or more of them, the umpire shall determine which fielder is entitled to the benefit of the rule, and shall not declare the runner out for coming in contact with a fielder other than the one the umpire determines to be entitled to field such a ball.”

• If Rackley chose to protect Velazquez, it’s possible that Rengifo could have been charged with obstruction.
• The runner should first locate the fielder(s) and track the ball. The runner must be aware that he can go behind or in front of the fielder without restriction in his attempt to avoid the fielder who is making a play. However, if a runner goes in front of the fielder, there is a greater chance the runner could impede or hinder the fielder and be called out. It’s probably safer in most ground ball situations for the runner to run behind the fielder. Again, I stress that contact is not necessary for the rule to be invoked.
• Lack of proper anticipation and poor visual skills on the part of Arozarena led to this accident that could have caused injury. Also, because a runner does not have a restricted baseline unless he is avoiding a tag or is in a rundown, a smart runner will stretch or widen his unrestricted base path in anticipation of an imminent tag. This may discourage the infielder from making the tag and concentrating just on the batter-runner. If the delay is long enough, the batter-runner might possibly be safe.

Pitcher Loses No-Hitter on a Runner Interference Call

In a March 23, 2025 game against ACC foe Boston College, North Carolina ace Aidan Haugh was superb. Haugh, a senior, had a 1.69 ERA across seven starts at that point in the season and was dealing. Haugh struck out 11, walked just one, and threw a no-hitter in a 10–0 win over Boston College in seven innings—well, almost.

Haugh and his teammates thought he threw a no-hitter. On his 96th and final pitch of the game, Haugh threw a fastball to Noah Wang of BC. Wang lined the ball to the right side of the infield that struck the runner on first base, who was called out for runner interference, ending the game.

The Tar Heels celebrated the apparent no-hitter, but the party was dashed when it was revealed that the batter, in such situations, is credited with a hit when a batted ball strikes a base runner.

Ruleball Comments

• According to scoring rule 9.05(a)(5):

“The Official Scorer shall credit a batter with a hit when a fair ball that has not been touched by a fielder touches a runner or an umpire, unless a runner has been called out for having been touched by an Infield Fly, in which case the Official Scorer shall not score a hit.”

• This is a scoring rule that needs to be revisited. There is no logic to the scoring rule that I can see.
• If a runner is called out for interference, it is assumed the runner interfered with a fielder and prevented him from making a play. Therefore, why should the batter be credited with a hit? And why should the pitcher be penalized?
• In the above play, a college pitcher lost a no-hitter. Can you imagine the negative press coverage this would get if this occurred in a major league game—or what about a postseason game?
• And what if the second base umpire, who was positioned in front of the infield, was struck by a batted ball that erased a no-hitter? There would be a seismic uproar in the baseball world.
• Howie Karpin, who serves as an official scorer for the two New York City major league venues, said:

“It’s a rule that needs to be revised. I have brought it up numerous times in the past for exactly what happened (in the NC/BC college game). They won’t do anything about it until, and if, it did happen in a big-league game. Scorers have no choice but to call it a hit.”

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