Baseball Rules of a Hit Batter

The pitcher hitting the batter with a pitched ball is a potentially painful way for a hitter to reach base in a baseball game. Major League Baseball has rules concerning batters hit by pitched balls. The umpire awards a batter hit by a pitched ball first base, with certain exceptions.

  1. In the Strike Zone

    • If a pitcher hits the batter, but the umpire rules that the ball was in the strike zone, then the batter is not awarded first base. This is the case whether or not the hitter attempts to get out of the way of the pitch. In such an event, the umpire calls the pitch a strike and the batter continues his at-bat, unless it was the third strike, in which case he is out. The ball, however, is dead after it hits the batter, so no runners may advance on the bases. This rule exists to discourage batters from crowding the strike zone and leaning over so that the ball hits them, especially during a crucial part of the game.

    Hit While Swinging

    • The umpire does not award the batter first base if he deems the batter has made the attempt to swing at a baseball that hit him. In such scenarios, the umpire calls the pitch a strike, the ball is dead and the at-bat continues. If this occurs and the pitch is strike three, the batter is out. In some cases, according to the QB Baseball website, the umpire may think that even though a player intended to swing initially, he attempted to stop his swing and avoid the ball; the umpire then would award the batter first base.

    No Attempt to Avoid

    • A batter must make a reasonable attempt, in the judgment of the umpire, to get out of the way of a pitched ball. If the batter fails to make such an attempt, the umpire may choose not to allow the batter to advance to first base. The umpire would call the pitch a ball, the ball would be dead, no runners would advance and the at-bat would continue. This rule is in place to discourage a batter from standing as close to the plate as he can and allow an inside pitch to strike him.

    Other Scenarios

    • A pitched ball that touches the batter's uniform gives the batter the right to first base, as long as the umpire rules the player has a properly fitting uniform. If the pitched ball bounces and then hits the hitter, the hitter has the right to go to first base. Players hit in the hand by the ball get to go to first base, despite the incorrect assumption often heard that the hand is considered part of the bat.