Baseball · MLB / Rule 07

Extra innings

MLB · 2025

Last checked: 14 October 2026
Source: MLB Official Baseball Rules 2025 · Source pages: 103–107

In short

The regular-season runner on second and the postseason exception.

On this page

Continuing a tie

After a tied 9 innings, teams keep playing until the visitors lead after a completed inning or the home team scores the winning run. Under the MLB regular-season rule, each subsequent half-inning starts with a runner on second. The normal batting order continues; the placed runner is the player immediately before the leadoff batter, or an eligible substitute.

Exceptions and scoring

If that preceding player is the pitcher, the preceding batter may instead run. A replaced player cannot return. The placed runner is treated as reaching on an error only for earned-run calculation; nobody is charged a fielding error. This automatic-runner rule does not apply to the Wild Card Series, Division Series, League Championship Series or World Series.

Independent explanations and translations, not official federation publications. Based on the supplied MLB Official Baseball Rules 2025. Separate operational regulations and later amendments are not inferred. References use physical PDF pages. Explanations are condensed; the supplied edition and its stated competition conditions determine scope.
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