So was that a home run or a double? That thing sticking out, is it in play or out of play? Now you will know the answer. Here are the ground rules throughout all major leagues parks.
Universal Ground Rules
The Commissioner’s Office has issued the following Universal Ground Rules for use in all Major League ballparks this season.
Ground Rules pertaining to individual parks are posted separately in those parks.
• Ball on the top step (lip) of the dugout is in play.
o No equipment is permitted to be left on the top step (lip) of the dugout. If a ball hits equipment left on the top step it is
dead.
• A player is not permitted to step or go into a dugout to make a catch.
o A player is permitted to reach into a dugout to make a catch. If a player makes a catch outside the dugout and the player’s
momentum carries him into the dugout, then the catch is allowed and the ball remains alive as long as the player
does not fall while in the dugout. See Rule 6.05(a).
• A batted ball in flight can be caught between or under railings and around screens.
• A catch may be made on the field tarp.
• Batted or thrown ball lodging in the rotating signage behind home plate or along first base or third base stands is out of
play.
o Batted or thrown ball resting on the rotating signage behind home plate or along first base or third base stands is
out of play.
• The facings of railings surrounding the dugout and photographers’ areas are in play.
o Any cameras or microphones permanently attached on railings are treated as part of the railings and are in play.
o Any recessed railings or poles that are in the dugout and photographers’ areas are out of play and should be marked
with red to mark them out of play.
• Robotic cameras attached to the facing of the backstop screen are considered part of the screen.
o A batted ball striking the backstop camera is considered a dead ball.
o A thrown ball striking the backstop camera is considered in play.
• A ball striking the guy wires that support the backstop is a dead ball.
• A ball lodging behind or under canvas on field tarp is out of play.
• A ball striking the field tarp and rebounding onto the playing field is in play.
• No chairs can be brought out of the dugout or bullpen and onto the playing field.
• All yellow lines are in play.
2015 MLB Ballpark Ground Rules
99
American League Ballparks
Baltimore Orioles — Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Dugout and Photographer Areas
• Ball striking surfaces, pillars or facings surrounding dugouts: Out of Play.
Outfield Area
• Fair bounding ball striking railing above cement wall down right field line in foul territory: In Play.
• Batted ball in flight striking grounds crew shed roof in right field and rebounding onto playing field: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight striking on the top of out-of-town scoreboard in right field, the top of the wall between the
out-of-town scoreboard and the right field foul line, or the railing above this area: Home Run.
o A ball striking the facing of the scoreboard, including the top corner, and rebounding onto the playing field: In Play.
• Bounding ball striking the metal support pipe behind the right-centerfield wall: Out of Play.
• Ball in flight striking the metal support pipe behind the right-centerfield wall: Home Run.
Boston Red Sox — Fenway Park
Outfield Area
• Batted ball over line on top of the left field wall: Home Run.
• Fair ball going through scoreboard, either on the bound or in flight: Two Bases.
• Batted ball in flight striking to the right of yellow line on left center field wall behind flagpole: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight striking left center field wall to left of line behind flagpole and bounding into seats on top of center field
wall: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight striking left of line in right center field and bounding into bullpen: Home Run.
• Fair ball striking the ladder below top of left field wall and bounding out of park: Two Bases.
• The extension from the right field foul pole to the front of the wall is part of foul pole:
o Ball in flight striking extension: Home Run.
o Ball hitting the top of outfield wall then extension: Home Run.
o Bounding ball (off of playing surface) striking the extension: Two Bases.
ChicagoWhite Sox — U.S. Cellular Field • All Ground Rules for U.S. Cellular Field are covered by the Universal Ground Rules
Cleveland Indians — Progressive Field
Dugout and Photographers Areas
• Ball striking roofs or color facings of dugouts, camera pits or diamond suites: Out of Play.
Outfield Area
• Batted ball in flight striking the flat area in front of right field seating area and beyond right field wall: Home Run.
Detroit Tigers — Comerica Park
Outfield Area
• Batted ball in flight striking padding below the top of outfield wall and caroming into stands: Two Bases.
• Batted ball in flight striking above padding: Home Run.
Houston Astros — Minute Maid Park
Outfield Area
• Fair batted bounding ball striking the railings on the inclined walls down the left and right field lines in foul territory: In Play.
• Batted ball strikes higher wall or railing and rebounds over lower wall: Home Run.
• Batted ball hits the side railing of the Crawford boxes and goes into the stands: Two Bases.
Left Field Area
• Batted ball goes through or lodges in out-of-town scoreboard, either on bounce or in flight: Two Bases.
• Batted ball hits the top of the out-of-town scoreboard ledge and goes into the stands: Two Bases.
• Batted ball striking below top of scoreboard wall and bounding over wall: Two Bases.
• Batted ball strikes screen in left-center field and rebounds onto playing field: In Play.
• Batted ball in flight strikes yellow line on fence or top of railing in left-center field and bounds into stands: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight strikes yellow line on fence or top of railing in left-center field and rebounds onto the playing field: In Play.
• Batted ball in flight strikes flagpole and leaves the field: Home Run.
• Batted ball strikes flagpole and rebounds onto playing field: In Play.
• Batted ball strikes flagpole and rebounds onto playing field and then bounces over fence: Two Bases.
100
Right Field Area
• Batted ball in flight strikes green safety fence to the right field side of the right center field bullpen: Home Run. • Batted bounding ball strikes green safety fence to the right field side of the right center field bullpen: Two Bases.
• Metal caps on top of outfield wall in front of right center field bullpen are part of the outfield wall.
• Batted ball in flight strikes safety railing on top of the outfield wall to the center field side of the field access gate in right
field: Home Run.
• Batted bounding ball strikes safety railing on top of the outfield wall to the center field side of the field access gate in right
field: Two Bases.
• Batted ball in flight striking the top of the wall in the right field above the padding and rebounding onto playing field: In Play.
Camera Wells
• Ball striking low signage in front of first base and third base camera wells and rebounding onto playing field: In Play.
• Ball striking this signage and continuing into the camera well: Out of Play.
Kansas City Royals — Kauffman Stadium
Outfield Area
• Batted ball in flight striking the top of the outfield wall above the out-of-town scoreboards and bouncing over the fence:
Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight striking the railing above and behind the out-of-town scoreboard in right field and rebounding onto
the playing field: Home Run.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — AngelStadium of Anaheim
Dugout and Photographer Areas
• Ball striking any forward facing green padded dugout or photographer well railing and rebounding onto playing field:
In Play.
• Ball striking or resting on padded flat area at the home plate end of the Angels’ dugout is considered in the dugout: Out of
Play. (Fielder is permitted to lean on or over this area in an attempt to field the ball.)
Outfield Area
• Ball striking yellow square at top of outfield wall: In Play. [However, ball striking fence support above yellow square is
considered to have gone over fence (i.e., home run, ground-rule double, etc.)]
• Ball striking the top of the outfield wall and rebounding onto the playing field: In Play.
• Ball striking yellow line on the 18-foot wall located in front of the seating area in right field and rebounding onto the
playing field: In Play.
• Ball striking above or behind the yellow line on the 18-foot wall located in front of the seating area in right field: Home Run.
Minnesota Twins — Target Field
Dugouts and Camera Wells
• All railings in front of the dugouts and camera/photographers wells are in play.
Outfield Area
• Railings on the upward sloping walls in foul territory in the left field and right field corners are in play.
• Fair bounding ball striking the limestone wall and caroming back onto the playing field: In Play.
• Fair bounding ball striking the limestone wall and entering the stands: Two bases.
• Batted ball in flight striking facing of the second deck/ribbon boards: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight striking right field wall and going out of play in foul territory: Two bases.
• Batted ball in flight striking right field wall and going out of play in fair territory: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight striking lower section of outfield wall in front of the bullpens and caroming over higher outfield wall:
Two Bases.
• Batted ball in flight striking the top of the out-of-town scoreboard on the right-center field wall and caroming over higher
outfield wall: Two Bases.
• Batted ball in flight striking the top of the limestone wall on the right field overlook: Home Run.
New York Yankees — Yankee Stadium
Outfield Area
• Batted ball in flight striking the top of the wall above/beyond the padding, regardless of whether or not the ball bounces
back onto the field or continues into the stands: Home Run.
Oakland Athletics — O.co Coliseum
Outfield Area
• Batted ball striking face of out-of-town scoreboard: In Play.
• Batted ball striking above face of out-of-town scoreboard (above yellow line on top of scoreboard): Home Run.
Bullpen Area
• Ball lodging on or in the bullpen seating area: Out of Play. A ball is deemed to be lodged when it goes in or behind
equipment or, in the umpire’s judgment, is deemed otherwise unplayable.
• Ball going under bullpen seating area: Out of Play. A ball going underneath the seating area is out of play, regardless of
whether it rebounds onto the playing field.
101
Seattle Mariners — Safeco Field
Outfield Area
• Netting in right field corner in foul territory is above and beyond the wall. A batted ball that bounds into the netting is a
dead ball whether or not it rebounds onto the playing field: Two Bases.
Roof Trusses
• Batted ball strikes roof truss over fair territory: In Play. o If caught by fielder, batter is out and runners advance at own risk. • Batted ball strikes roof truss over foul territory: Dead Ball.
Movement of Roof
• Please refer to Commissioner’s Bulletin regarding opening and closing of retractable roofs.
Tampa Bay Rays — Tropicana Field
Bullpen Area
• Ball lodging on, under or in the bullpen seating area: Out of Play. A ball is deemed to be lodged when it goes in or behind
equipment or seating or, in the umpire’s judgment, is deemed otherwise unplayable. • Ball enters the bullpen seating area and rebounds out of the seating area: In Play.
Catwalks, Lights and Suspended Objects
• Batted ball strikes catwalk, light or suspended object over fair territory: o Batted ball that strikes either of the lower two catwalks (known as the ‘C-Ring’ and the ‘D-Ring’), including any lights or suspended objects attached to either of those catwalks as well as any angled support rods that connect the ‘C-Ring’ to the masts that support the ‘D-Ring’ in fair territory: Home Run. o Batted ball that strikes either of the upper catwalks (known as the ‘A-Ring’ and the ‘B-Ring’), including the masts that support each of those catwalks as well as any angled support rods that connect the ‘B-Ring’ to the masts that support the ‘C-Ring’ in fair territory: In Play. If caught by fielder, batter is out and runners advance at own risk. o Batted ball that is not judged a home run and remains on a catwalk, light or suspended object: Two Bases. • Batted ball strikes catwalk, light or suspended object over foul territory, including the speaker cluster directly over home
plate: Dead Ball.
Texas Rangers — Globe Life Park in Arlington
Dugout Areas
• Ball striking facing of dugout and rebounding onto playing field: Out of Play.
Railings
• Ball striking any railing adjacent to field and rebounding onto playing field: In Play.
Outfield Area
• Fair ball lodging in fence padding or scoreboard covering in left field fence: Two Bases.
Toronto Blue Jays — Rogers Centre
Outfield Area
• Fair ball lodging in fence padding: Two Bases. • Fair ball (bounding) striking fence padding and bouncing over fence: Two Bases. • Fair ball (bounding) striking padding on outfield fence to foul or seating side of foul line: Out of Play. • Batted ball striking the top of the outfield wall above the left center and right center field videoboards and bounding over
the fence: Home Run. • Batted ball striking the top of the outfield wall above the left center and right center field videoboards and rebounding
onto the playing field: In Play.
Movement of Roof
• Please refer to Commissioner’s Office Bulletin regarding opening and closing of retractable roofs.
National League Ballparks
Arizona Diamondbacks — Chase Field
Outfield Area
• Batted ball in flight strikes fence of right field corner wall and leaves the field: Home Run. • Batted ball in flight strikes the black pool gate beyond the right-center field fence: Home Run. • Batted ball in flight strikes right of yellow line in right center or left of line in left center: Home Run. • Batted ball strikes centerfield wall, girders or face of overhangs in centerfield on or between yellow lines and rebounds
onto playing field: In Play. • Batted ball in flight strikes centerfield wall between yellow lines and caroms over shorter fence: Home Run. • Batted ball in flight striking above yellow line in batters’ eye and rebounding onto playing field: Home Run.
Roof
• Batted ball strikes roof over fair territory: In Play. o If caught by fielder, batter is out and runners advance at own risk. • Batted ball strikes roof over foul territory: Dead Ball.
Movement of Roof and Exterior Wall Panels
• Please refer to Commissioner’s Office Bulletin regarding opening and closing of retractable roofs.
102
Atlanta Braves — Turner Field
Dugout Areas
• Ball striking facings over dugouts: Out of Play.
Outfield Area
• A ball lodged in the chain-link fence in front of the field level scoreboards in left field and right field: Dead Ball.
Chicago Cubs — Wrigley Field
Outfield Area
• Fair ball striking railing or screen attached to bleacher wall and rebounding onto playing field: In Play.
• Fair ball lodges in screen attached to bleacher wall: Two Bases.
• Fair batted ball lodges in vines on bleacher wall: Two Bases.
• Fair ball enters vines on bleacher wall and rebounds onto playing field: In Play.
• Fair ball lodges in or under grates in left or right field: Two Bases.
Bullpen Area
• Ball lodging on, under or in the bullpen seating area: Out of Play. A ball is deemed to be lodged when it goes in or behind
equipment or seating or, in the umpire’s judgment, is deemed otherwise unplayable.
• Ball enters the bullpen seating area and rebounds out of the seating area: In Play.
Cincinnati Reds — Great American Ball Park
Dugout and Photographers Areas
• Ball striking facing over dugout or recessed steel railing: Out of Play.
Outfield Area
• Batted ball in flight striking vertical yellow line in left-center field or right field corner and caroming over outfield fence:
Home Run.
• Batted fair ball striking railing on top of wall down the line in foul territory and rebounding onto playing field: In Play.
Colorado Rockies — Coors Field
Outfield Area
• Fair ball striking net in left field and rebounding onto playing field: In Play.
• Fair ball going through or lodging in scoreboard in right field, either on bounce or in flight: Two Bases.
• Fair ball in flight striking above yellow line on top of out-of-town scoreboard in right field: Home Run.
• Bounding ball striking fence above out-of-town scoreboard in right field: Out of Play.
Los Angeles Dodgers — Dodger Stadium
Backstop Area
• Batted ball striking camera on top of backstop: Dead Ball.
Outfield Area
• Batted ball hitting bullpen gate in either left or right field and bouncing into the seats: Home Run.
Miami Marlins — Marlins Park
Outfield Area
• Railings on the upward sloping walls in foul territory in the left field and right field corners: In Play.
• Ball in flight striking above the padded wall and to the left of the vertical yellow line on the fence in left center field in front
of the “Home Run Sculpture:” Home Run.
• Bounding ball striking above the padded wall and to the left of the vertical yellow line on the fence in left center field in
front of the “Home Run Sculpture:” Out of Play.
• Ball in flight striking on or to the right of the vertical yellow line on the fence in left center field in front of the “Home Run
Sculpture” and rebounds onto the field: In Play.
• Ball in flight striking wall to the left of the vertical yellow line at the point where the “Home Run Sculpture” meets the
Centerfield wall: In Play.
• Ball in flight striking either metal safety railing above and behind the right field wall: Home Run.
• Bounding ball striking either metal safety railing above and behind the right field wall: Out of Play.
Roof
• Batted ball strikes roof over fair territory: In Play.
o If caught by fielder, batter is out and runners advance at own risk.
• Batted ball strikes roof over foul territory: Dead Ball.
Movement of Roof
• Please refer to Commissioner Office’s Bulletins regarding opening and closing of retractable roofs.
Milwaukee Brewers — Miller Park
Outfield Area
• Batted ball in flight striking portion of pad above the horizontal yellow line in fair territory of left field corner: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight striking blue portion of wall in left field corner: Foul.
• Fair bounding ball striking yellow portion of pad in left field corner: Two Bases.
• Fair bounding ball striking blue portion of wall in left field corner: In Play.
• Fair batted bounding or thrown ball striking the green safety railings on the walls down the left field and right field lines
in foul territory and rebounding onto the playing field: In Play.
Roof
• Batted ball strikes roof, roof truss, or roof cable over fair territory: In Play.
o If caught by fielder, batter is out and runners advance at own risk.
• Batted ball strikes roof, roof truss, or roof cable over foul territory: Dead Ball.
Movement of Roof and Exterior Wall Panels
• Please refer to Commissioner’s Office Bulletin regarding opening and closing retractable roofs.
New York Mets — CitiField
Outfield Area
• Green Safety Railings:
o Fair batted ball in flight striking green safety rails above orange line on outfield walls: Home Run.
o Fair batted bounding or thrown ball striking the green safety railings above the orange line on the outfield walls:
Out of Play.
o Fair batted bounding or thrown ball striking the green safety railings on the inclined walls down the left field and
right field lines in foul territory and rebounding onto the playing field: In Play.
• Fair batted bounding ball striking the black padded walls down the left field and right field lines in foul territory: In Play.
• Left Field Corner, Center Field and Right Field Walls:
o Batted ball in flight striking outfield wall on black concrete section above the horizontal orange line:
Home Run.
o Bounding batted ball striking black concrete section of outfield wall above the horizontal orange line: Out of Play,
Two Bases.
o Batted ball, in flight or bounding, striking outfield wall on or below the horizontal orange line: In Play.
• Batted ball in flight striking the top of the wall in the right field corner above the padding and rebounding onto playing
field: In Play.
Philadelphia Phillies — Citizens Bank Park
Dugout and Photographers Areas
• Ball striking dugout roof: Out of Play.
Backstop Area
• Ball going into camera area behind home plate: Out of Play.
Outfield Area
• Left Field:
o Over the fence and in plantings: Home Run.
o Ball strikes spectator in fair territory: Out of Play.
• Left Center Field to Center Field:
o Ball hits to the left of the vertical yellow line above 387’ mark on the fence in left center field: Home Run.
o Ball hits on or to right of the vertical yellow line above 387’ mark on the fence in left center field and rebounds back
onto the field: In Play.
o Ball hits on or to the right of the vertical yellow line above 409’ mark on the center field fence and goes over the
lower center field fence without striking the ground: Home Run.
o Ball strikes plexiglass barriers on the top of outfield wall at the bottom of seating area walkways: In Play.
• Right Center Field to Center Field:
o Ball wedges in chain link fence in front of out-of-town scoreboard: Two Bases.
o Ball strikes fence or scoreboard and goes over the lower center field fence without striking the ground: Home Run.
o Ball strikes fence or scoreboard and goes over higher portion of outfield fence without striking the ground:
Two Bases.
o Ball strikes top of outfield fence or scoreboard and bounds into stands: Home Run.
o Ball strikes top of outfield fence or scoreboard and rebounds onto the playing field: In Play.
• Right Field:
o Ball strikes plexiglass barriers on the top of outfield wall at the bottom of seating area walkways: In Play.
104
Pittsburgh Pirates — PNC Park
Outfield Area
• Batted ball in flight striking taller wall in left-center field and bounding into left field stands: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight striking base of chain-link bullpen fence and bounding over outfield wall: Two Bases.
• Batted ball in flight striking padding on taller wall in right-center field and bounding into right-center field stands:
Home Run.
St. Louis Cardinals — Busch Stadium
Outfield Area
• Batted ball in flight striking the top or inside of the yellow screen attached from the top of the left field outfield wall to the
left field foul pole, as well as from the top of the right field outfield wall to the right field foul pole: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight striking the top of the wall above the padding and rebounding onto playing field: In Play.
San Diego Padres — Petco Park
Dugout and Photographers Areas
• Ball enters warning track adjacent to either side of the dugout seats: In Play.
Outfield
• Left Field:
o Ball striking east (right) side of the Western Metal Supply Building, including yellow side of metal facing attached to
the corner of the building: Home Run.
o Ball striking south (left) side of the Western Metal Supply Building, including non-yellow side of metal facing
attached to the corner of the building: Foul Ball.
o Ball in flight striking recessed batter’s eye in left-center field: Home Run.
• Right Field:
o Ball striking spectator rail at the Right Field Porch and rebounding onto the playing field: In Play.
o Ball in flight striking the top of the spectator rail at the Right Field Porch and bounding into the stands: Home Run.
o Ball in flight striking to the left of the vertical yellow line in right center field: Home Run.
o Ball in flight striking plexiglass partition above yellow line in right field: Home Run.
o Bounding ball striking plexiglass partition above yellow line in right field: Two Bases.
San Francisco Giants — AT&T Park
Backstop Area
• Ball going into camera window in back of home plate: Out of Play.
Bullpen Area
• Ball lodging on, under or in the bullpen seating area: Out of Play. A ball is deemed to be lodged when it goes in or behind
equipment or seating or, in the umpire’s judgment, is deemed otherwise unplayable.
• Ball enters the bullpen seating area and rebounds out of the seating area: In Play.
Outfield Area
• Batted ball rolls on right field fence (foul territory): In Play.
• Batted ball on wall that umpire deems unplayable: Out of Play.
• Batted ball stays on top of right field bullpen awning: Two Bases.
• Batted ball bounding off of wire fence above right field bullpen awning on or to the left of the vertical yellow line: In Play.
• Batted ball bounding off of wire fence above right field bullpen awning to the right of the vertical yellow line: Out of Play.
• Batted ball landing on green metal on top of right field wall: Home Run.
• Fair ball strikes rail in center field and rebounds onto playing field: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight strikes to the left of vertical line on center field wall: Home Run.
• Batted ball in flight strikes center field wall right of yellow line and caroms left into stands: Home Run.
Washington Nationals — Nationals Park
Outfield Area – Left Field
• Fair bounding ball striking above the padded outfield wall between the vertical yellow line in foul territory and the left
field foul pole is out of play: Two Bases.
• Fair bounding ball striking above the padded outfield wall on or to the left of the vertical yellow line in foul territory:
In Play
