What is the Infield Fly Rule? Definition and Examples
The infield fly rule automatically retires the batter on a fair pop-up an infielder can catch with ordinary effort when there are runners on first and second (or bases loaded) with fewer than two outs — preventing fielders from intentionally dropping the ball for cheap double plays.
Plain-English Definition
The infield fly rule automatically calls a batter out when he hits a fair fly ball — not a line drive, not a bunt — that an infielder can catch with ordinary effort while runners are on first and second, or the bases are loaded, with fewer than two outs. The umpire signals the call by raising one arm straight overhead and yelling "infield fly, batter is out." The rule exists for one reason: to prevent infielders from intentionally dropping easy pop-ups to turn cheap double or triple plays on baserunners who must hold near their bases waiting to see if the ball is caught.
How the Call Is Made
Three conditions must all be true at the moment the ball is struck for the umpire to invoke the rule:
1. Runners on first and second, or bases loaded.
2. Fewer than two outs.
3. The batted ball is a fair fly ball that, in the umpire's judgment, can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort. Pitchers, catchers, and outfielders count as "infielders" for this rule when they are positioned and moving as one.
Line drives and bunted balls are explicitly excluded. The umpire must declare the rule in real time — "infield fly, if fair" is the audible call before the ball lands. Once invoked, the batter is out regardless of whether the fielder ultimately catches or drops the ball. Runners may advance at their own risk if the ball is dropped, but the force play is removed because the batter is already retired.
Worked Example: The 2012 NL Wild Card Game
With one out in the bottom of the eighth and the Cardinals leading the Braves 6-3, Andrelton Simmons hit a pop-up to short left field. Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma drifted back as left fielder Matt Holliday converged. With runners on first and second, left-field umpire Sam Holbrook raised his arm and called the infield fly — late, after the ball had already traveled near the outfield grass. Kozma drifted off at the last moment and the ball dropped untouched on the outfield dirt. The call stood, Simmons was out, the bases stayed loaded with two outs instead of becoming bases loaded with one out, and the Braves were eliminated. Fans threw debris on the field for 19 minutes. The decision was within the letter of the rule but its application that deep onto the grass made it one of the most disputed umpiring calls of the 21st century.
Why It Matters
Without the rule, an infielder with runners on first and second could intentionally drop an easy pop-up, scoop it cleanly, throw to third for the lead-runner force, and get the relay to second for a 6-5-4 double play — or even a triple play with bases loaded. The runners cannot advance because they must wait to see if the ball is caught; if they leave early and it is caught, they are doubled off. The infield fly rule eliminates that trap by declaring the batter out the moment the ball is hit, which removes the force play and lets the runners stay put without penalty. The rule protects baserunners from being punished for obeying the basic logic of tag-up baseball.
Limitations and Common Misconceptions
The runners are not out — only the batter. If the ball is dropped, runners may advance at their own risk on a tag play, but the force is gone. The rule does not apply with a runner on first only, because there is no double-play trap to prevent. It also does not apply to bunts or line drives — that is what the separate "intentionally dropped ball" rule covers, which retires the batter on any line drive or bunt that a fielder intentionally drops with runners on. And the umpire's discretion on "ordinary effort" matters: a pop-up behind second base on a windy night might not draw the call even when it technically qualifies.
Related Terms
In Legends Deck
The Legends Deck simulation engine triggers the infield fly rule whenever a pop-up with hang time over 4.5 seconds and apex height under 100 feet is hit with the qualifying baserunner configuration. The batter card is automatically retired and the play resolves to the runners' starting bases unless the simulated infielder rolls a drop event from his fielding rating. It is one of the few outcomes where the defender's grade has zero impact on whether the out is recorded.