Can You Foul Out in Baseball?

Well, that depends on what you mean by “foul out.”

Technically, there are are 2 ways to make an out in baseball from a foul ball. In this post, we’ll walk through these scenarios and outline some specific foul ball rules.

What is a Foul Ball?

A baseball field is divided into fair and foul territories.

Foul territory is any area outside the two foul lines, which extend from home plate past first and third bases to the outfield fence.

A foul ball is a batted baseball that lands in this area or is touched by a fielder while in foul territory.

Rules Governing Foul Balls

The rules regarding foul balls are very specific.

If a ball is hit and comes down in foul territory without being caught, it counts as a strike against the batter, unless they already have two strikes.
Once a batter has two strikes, additional foul balls do not count as strikes, allowing the at-bat to continue. This rule ensures that a batter cannot be struck out purely on foul balls.

So, How Do you Foul Out?

A batter can foul a ball off until infinity and never be out unless that ball is caught.

Here are the two ways a batter can can make an out on a foul ball:

The ball is hit up and caught
If the ball is caught by a fielder, even if he is in foul territory, it is an out. (A foul out, if you insist on calling it that…But don’t—see below.)
The ball is tipped into the catcher’s mitt in a 2-strike count
If a batter tips the ball directly into the catcher’s mitt and he has two strikes, it is called strike 3 and is treated as if he didn’t make contact. The catcher must catch the ball.

The one exception to this rule is in youth coach pitch or machine pitch baseball games, where most rules state that a batter gets 5 pitches, and even if they foul off the last pitch the at-bat is over and the batter is considered out.

Can Runners Advance on a Foul Ball Out?

Yes, if a ball is caught by a fielder in foul territory, the runners can advance provided they have touched the previous base—referred to as “tagging up”—after the ball is caught.

This rule is no different than a ball caught in fair territory.

Impact on the Game

Foul balls can extend a batter’s at-bat, wearing down the opposing pitcher and potentially leading to a better pitch to hit.

Catchers often have the best opportunity for “foul outs” due to their proximity to the batter and their ability to quickly track and catch pop-ups behind home plate.

Infielders, particularly those on the corners, also often have chances due to their positioning near foul territory.

Is it Called a Foul Out?

No.

No one calls it that.

So, if you don’t want to sound like a complete noob, don’t say “He fouled out.” Instead say something like “He popped it up foul, and the catcher caught it.” Less efficient, but correct.

If you want to learn words you can use to impress people at a baseball game, head over to Baseball Slang All Players (and True Fans) Should Know.