Batting out of turn occurs when a batter who is not the next batter listed in the batting order comes to bat. The result depends on whether or not the defensive team appeals during or after the at-bat of the improper batter. The umpires will not point out that a batter is batting out of order; it is up to the team in the field to catch it.
Batting out of order situations can be broken down into three cases:
- The defense appeals while the improper batter is still at bat. The improper batter returns to the bench, and the proper batter (the one who should be at bat, according to the batting order) comes to the plate and assumes the ball-strike count. No other penalty is imposed.
- The defense appeals immediately after the improper batter has completed his time at bat, and before the next pitch is thrown or any other play (e.g., throw to a base to attempt to pick off a runner) attempted. When this occurs, the proper batter (the one who should have been at bat) is called out for not batting in their turn. If the improper batter got on base, he is removed from the base; If the runners gained bases from the improper batter putting the ball into play, they must return to their previous bases. The next proper batter is the batter after the one who was called out.
- The defense fails to appeal immediately after the improper batter has completed his time at bat, and before the next pitch is thrown or any play attempted. At this point, it is too late; the defense has lost their opportunity to appeal. The improper batter's time at bat is legalized; all results from that at-bat are allowed to stand. The next proper batter is the batter after the improper batter.
The defense does not necessarily have to appeal. If the outcome of the improper batter's at-bat was favorable to the defense (e.g., the batter grounded into a double play), the defense may choose to ignore the out-of-order batting and accept the result of the play.
Note that, if a batter not listed in the current batting order comes to bat, this is not an out-of-order batting but rather an unannounced substitution. Unannounced substitutions are always legal. However, the batter who should have come to bat has now been substituted for and is out of the game.
The lineup card held by the plate umpire is always the official lineup. If a team messes up the lineup card posted in the dugout, that is on them.
If a batting-out-of-order situation results in a player's time at bat coming up while he is on base, that player's time at bat is simply skipped.
Analysis of a Real Case
Cincinnati Reds vs. San Diego Padres, Riverfront Stadium, June 27.1988. Hours before the game, manager Pete Rose fills out a lineup card that has third baseman Chris Sabo batting second, and outfielder Kal Daniels playing left field and batting third. However, Daniels’ neck stiffens up during the afternoon, and shortly before game time Rose decides to start Dave Collins instead, and in the process, he swaps Collins and Sabo in the batting order. He posts that lineup in the Reds’ dugout, but accidentally gives the original lineup to the umpires and Padres manager Jack McKeon.
Because the Padres are the visiting team, the Reds are in the field for the top of the first inning. Collins goes out to left field instead of Daniels, which makes him an unannounced substitute. This is legal, although it puts Daniels out of the game (he is listed in the box score with zero times at bat). The batting order per the umpire’s card should now be Sabo batting second and Collins batting third.
Barry Larkin, batting leadoff for the Reds, started the bottom of the first inning by drawing a walk. So far so good. Collins then came to bat, and popped up. Per the umpire’s card, Sabo should have been at bat, but the Padres did not appeal at this point. Since they did not, Collins’ time at bat was legalized and the next proper batter in the batting order became Eric Davis, who was listed as batting fourth on the umpire’s cards. But the cards in the dugout had Sabo batting after Collins, so Sabo came to the plate. When he reached on an error, advancing Larkin to third, the Padres appealed. Davis was called out for not batting in his turn; Sabo was removed from first base and Larkin had to retreat to first. The next proper batter was Nick Esasky, who was the batter listed after Davis. Sabo ended the game with one fewer plate appearance than Larkin or Collins.