What is a Sacrifice Fly? Definition and Examples
A sacrifice fly is a fly-ball out, hit with fewer than two outs, that scores a runner from base — credited as an RBI and excluded from the batter's at-bat total.
What a Sacrifice Fly Means
A sacrifice fly (SF) is a productive out: the batter hits a fly ball or line drive deep enough that a runner tags up and scores after the catch, with fewer than two outs. The hitter is "sacrificing" his own time at the plate to drive in a run. Because it advances a run rather than being a wasted out, baseball's scoring rules refuse to penalize the batter's batting average for it — the sacrifice fly is removed from his at-bat count entirely.
How a Sacrifice Fly Is Scored
A sacrifice fly is awarded only when all of these conditions are met:
1. There are fewer than two outs.
2. The batter hits a fair fly ball or line drive that is caught (or would have been caught but for an error).
3. A runner scores on the play, tagging up after the catch.
If a runner advances but does not *score* on the fly out, it is just an ordinary fly out and counts as an at-bat — there is no "sacrifice fly to third base." The run-scoring requirement is what separates the two.
Scoring effects:
- The batter is credited with an RBI but no hit.
- The SF is not counted as an at-bat, so it never hurts batting average.
- It is counted as a plate appearance and appears in the on-base percentage denominator: OBP = (H + BB + HBP) ÷ (AB + BB + HBP + SF). So a sac fly lowers OBP slightly even while protecting AVG — one of the quirks of the formula.
Worked Example
Suppose a cleanup hitter records 600 at-bats, 180 hits, and 8 sacrifice flies in a season. His average is 180 ÷ 600 = .300. Had those 8 sac flies counted as at-bats, his line would be 180 ÷ 608 = .296 — a four-point difference, and a tangible reason the rule exists. Mark Whiten and several others have hit multiple sac flies in a single game; the single-season record sits at 19 (Gil Hodges, 1954). Over a full year, 7–10 sacrifice flies marks a productive middle-of-the-order run producer.
Why It Matters
Sacrifice flies are a small but real component of RBI totals, and they show up in fantasy leagues that count RBI as a category. For real-team analysis they're a minor signal of a hitter who elevates the ball with runners on third. The bigger conceptual payoff is understanding why AVG and OBP can diverge — the at-bat exclusion is a built-in feature, not an accident.
Limitations and Common Misconceptions
The most common error is assuming any deep fly out that moves a runner is a sacrifice fly — it isn't unless a run scores. A second misconception is that a sac fly is "free": it does count against OBP, so a hitter who racks up sac flies isn't getting them entirely cost-free in advanced metrics. Finally, a sacrifice fly is distinct from a sacrifice bunt; bunts are also excluded from at-bats but follow separate scoring rules and are not credited automatically with an RBI.
In Legends Deck
In Legends Deck simulation, a deep fly out with a runner on third and fewer than two outs resolves as a sacrifice fly — the out is recorded, the run scores, and the batter banks an RBI without taking an average hit. It's one of the small situational outcomes that makes scoring late, close games feel true to real baseball strategy.