Balls, strikes and batting
MLB · 2025The strike zone, walks, foul balls and batting obligations.
The count
A pitch through the strike zone is a strike if not hit; a swing and miss is also a strike. The zone is over home plate, between the midpoint of the shoulders and uniform pants and the hollow beneath the kneecap, judged from the batter’s batting stance. A walk follows 4 balls; an intentional walk may be awarded on the defensive manager’s signal.
Fouls and readiness
A foul ball ordinarily adds a strike only before the batter has 2 strikes. A foul bunt can be the third strike. A legally caught foul tip remains live and counts as a strike. Batters must be ready and comply with the batter’s-box rule and its exceptions. The handbook’s basic delay provisions should not be mistaken for a complete supplemental pitch-timer policy.
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