What Is a Forfeit in Baseball?
Quick answer
A game awarded to one team, officially 9-0, when the other team refuses to play, can’t field enough players or breaks certain rules. Forfeits are very rare in pro baseball.
In this article
A forfeit is when the umpire awards the game to one team because the other team can't or won't play by the rules. Under the official rules, a forfeited game goes down as a 9-0 win for the team not at fault. Forfeits are very rare in professional baseball but more common in youth and amateur leagues, usually because a team doesn't have enough players.
Why games are forfeited
Under the official rules, the umpire can forfeit a game when a team:
- Refuses to start or continue playing
- Can't field nine players
- Delays the game on purpose or refuses to obey the umpire
- Keeps breaking rules after warnings
- Has fans who make it impossible to continue safely
Famous MLB forfeits
| Year | Game | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Rangers at Cleveland | "Ten Cent Beer Night": drunk fans stormed the field and Cleveland forfeited |
| 1979 | Tigers at White Sox | "Disco Demolition Night": fans flooded the field after records were blown up and the White Sox forfeited the second game of a doubleheader |
| 1995 | Cardinals at Dodgers | Fans threw souvenir baseballs from a giveaway onto the field; the Dodgers forfeited |
The 1995 Dodgers game is still the most recent forfeit in the major leagues.
How forfeit stats work
- If the game had already become official (usually after five innings), individual stats count.
- If not, the stats are wiped and only the forfeit result is recorded.
Forfeits in youth baseball
Most youth forfeits happen because a team shows up short-handed. Many leagues still let the teams play an unofficial game so the kids get to play, while the official result is a forfeit. Leagues also forfeit games for using ineligible players or breaking pitch-count rules. The mercy rule is different: it ends a game early because of the score, and the result stands.
Related terms
More definitions: baseball terms explained.
Frequently asked questions
What is the score of a forfeited baseball game?
Under the official rules, a forfeited game is recorded as a 9-0 win for the team not at fault. Many leagues use the same score.
Why would a team forfeit a baseball game?
A team forfeits if it refuses to play, can't field nine players, delays the game on purpose, keeps breaking rules after warnings or loses control of its crowd.
When was the last MLB forfeit?
In August 1995, the Los Angeles Dodgers forfeited a game to the St. Louis Cardinals after fans threw souvenir baseballs onto the field during a ball giveaway night.
Do stats count in a forfeited game?
If the game had become official before the forfeit, individual stats count. If not, they don't.
