What Is a Fourth Out in Baseball?
Quick answer
An out recorded after the third out to cancel a run, usually on an appeal: if a runner missed a base or left early on a caught fly, the defense can still appeal and take the run off the board.
In this article
A fourth out is an out recorded on an appeal play after the third out of an inning. It sounds impossible, since every half-inning ends after three outs, but the rules let the defense swap a third out for a more useful one. The point is to take a run off the board that would otherwise count.
Why it exists
Some runs count even though the third out comes later in the same play. When the third out isn't a force out, a runner who crosses the plate before it is made scores. But if that runner (or another one) broke a rule along the way, such as leaving early on a caught fly ball, the defense can appeal. If the appeal out is better for the defense, it replaces the third out, and the run comes off the board.
A classic example
Runners on second and third, one out.
- The batter flies out to center field. Two outs.
- The runner on third tags up and scores, but he left the base before the catch.
- The runner from second tries for third and is thrown out. Three outs.
- Because that third out wasn't a force out and the run crossed the plate first, the run counts so far.
- The defense throws to third base to appeal that the runner left early. The umpire calls him out: the fourth out.
- That appeal out replaces the third out, and since the runner never legally tagged up, the run is wiped out.
The rules for appealing
- The defense has to actually appeal. The umpire won't call it on his own.
- At the end of a half-inning, the appeal has to come before the pitcher and all infielders leave fair territory.
- Common reasons to appeal: leaving early on a caught fly ball, or missing a base while running.
Why it matters
Fourth-out appeals have decided real games, from youth leagues to pro ball, usually because the fielding team was paying attention when the other team wasn't. Coaches teach it for that reason: after a play like the one above, check for an appeal before jogging off the field.
Related terms
More definitions: baseball terms explained.
Frequently asked questions
What is a fourth out in baseball?
It is an out recorded on an appeal after the third out of an inning. The defense uses it to replace the third out with a more useful one and wipe a run off the scoreboard.
When can a team appeal for a fourth out?
Before the pitcher and all infielders leave fair territory at the end of the half-inning. After that, the chance to appeal is gone.
Can a fourth out happen in youth baseball?
Yes. The appeal rules work the same way in most leagues, and it happens more often in youth games because runners leave early on fly balls.
