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I can foresee a situation when a team is tied or up by one run, late in the game, where an outfielder may intentionally drop a catchable ball in foul territory to prevent an opposing runner from tagging up and scoring from third base with less than two outs.

Has this tactic ever been used in a Major League game?

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  • I'm looking around for a specific instance, will add and answer if I find one.
    – wax eagle
    Commented Feb 13, 2012 at 13:36
  • I don't believe runners can advance from a ball hit into foul territory, whether it's caught or not.
    – Robert C. Barth
    Commented Feb 13, 2012 at 20:19
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    @RobertC.Barth if the ball is caught it is treated as any other pop fly, runners may advance if they tag-up.
    – wax eagle
    Commented Feb 14, 2012 at 3:25
  • While counter-intuitive, I guess that's the case after all. I couldn't find anything in the rulebook against it, and I assume the ball is live and the game is still in play after the fielder catches it, which is what makes it possible, is that the case?
    – Robert C. Barth
    Commented Feb 14, 2012 at 22:16
  • @RobertC.Barth yes, exactly this.
    – wax eagle
    Commented Mar 15, 2012 at 13:07

4 Answers 4

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Absolutely. I can remember at least a couple of games I've watched where the game was tied and a deep fly ball was hit into foul territory with a runner on 3rd - the outfielder just let it drop so that they didn't have to try and make the throw to home plate to try and get the runner out that would have been tagging up.

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    Anyone have a box score/youtube video play index to support this? I've made concerted effort to try to find a news article or other. It seems like a viable strategy, but a clip/story/play index would be awesome (though incredibly hard to find)
    – wax eagle
    Commented Feb 14, 2012 at 3:26
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    probably would only make the news if the batter got a walk-off hit on the next pitch or something.
    – weiy
    Commented Feb 14, 2012 at 21:14
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    I remember someone allowing a pop foul to fall so that Ricky Henderson would not advance to third with one out. I laughed because Ricky just stole third on the next pitch and the throw wasn't even close despite a pitch out.
    – Chad
    Commented Feb 23, 2012 at 14:16
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Video - Matt Holiday did this in an extra inning game against the Brewers in 2014 with the game tied 3-3 and a runner on 3rd.

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It happens all the time. As a matter of fact, if a player DID catch a deep fly ball with a runner on third late in the game, it would be a gaffe and he'd be the talk of Sports Center (at least until some analyst tweeted something inflammatory...)

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According to MLB Rule 7.08d,

Any runner in out when he fails to retouch his base after a fair or foul ball is legally caught before he, or his base, is tagged by a fielder. He shall not be called out for failure to retouch his base after the first following pitch, or any play or attempted play. This is an appeal play.

As far as an example goes, you'll have a hard time finding an one if going by box scores. I'm sure there are examples. Most of the time what will happen is if there are less than 2 outs, the outfielder simply will not run as hard to catch the ball -- or if he is able to arrive to the location of the foul ball with enough time, chances are he will be able to set himself up for a strong throw to the plate. I have to imagine though some outfielders in their earnestness to make an out have forgotten the situation. I've seen situations where outfielders, forgetting the number of outs, have tossed caught fly balls into the stands (a common practice at the end of an inning for a lucky fan) with only 2 outs, allowing base runners to advance -- sometimes scoring a run.

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