Guide
Baseball rules for beginners
New to baseball? The game looks complicated, but the core rules fit on one page. This guide explains how a game works, how runs score and what usually changes in youth leagues.
The goal
Two teams take turns batting and fielding. The team that scores more runs wins. A team scores a run each time a player safely touches first, second, third and then home plate, in that order.
Innings, outs and turns
- A game is divided into innings. In each inning both teams bat once: the visiting team first (the top of the inning), then the home team (the bottom).
- A team bats until it makes three outs, then the teams switch.
- Professional games last nine innings. Youth games are usually shorter, often six or seven, and many leagues also have time limits or run limits. Ask your league.
- If the score is tied after the last inning, the game normally goes to extra innings, unless league rules say otherwise.
At the plate
- The pitcher throws to the batter. A pitch in the strike zone, or one the batter swings at and misses, is a strike. A pitch outside the zone that the batter doesn't swing at is a ball. See the strike zone explained.
- Three strikes and the batter is out (a strikeout). Four balls and the batter walks to first base.
- A foul ball (landing outside the foul lines) counts as a strike, but a foul with two strikes does not end the at-bat (unless it was a bunt).
- A ball hit into fair territory puts the batter in play. The batter runs toward first base.
How a batter reaches base
- A hit: the ball is hit in play and the batter reaches a base safely without a fielding error.
- A walk (four balls) or being hit by a pitch.
- An error, when a fielder misplays a ball that should have been an out.
- A fielder's choice, when the defense gets another runner out instead.
How the defense makes outs
- Strikeout: three strikes.
- Fly out: a fielder catches a batted ball before it touches the ground.
- Force out: a runner who must advance (because a runner behind is forced to move up) is out when a fielder with the ball touches the base before the runner arrives.
- Tag out: a fielder touches a runner with the ball (or the glove holding it) while the runner is not on a base.
Running the bases
Runners may advance on hits, walks, steals and wild pitches. A runner is safe while touching a base. On a caught fly ball, runners must go back and touch their base before advancing (this is called tagging up). Stealing and leading off may be restricted at younger levels.
What changes in youth baseball
- Shorter games, time limits and run limits per inning.
- Pitch count limits for pitchers. See pitch count rules.
- Rules about playing time, batting orders and courtesy runners.
- Younger divisions (such as t-ball and coach pitch) may use a tee or a coach to pitch and may not keep score.
Some rules confuse even longtime fans. See confusing baseball rules explained, and learn the lingo in baseball terms for new parents.
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Frequently asked questions
How many outs are in an inning?
Each team bats until it makes three outs. An inning has two halves, so six outs in total.
How many strikes and balls are in an at-bat?
Three strikes is a strikeout and four balls is a walk.
How many innings are in a youth baseball game?
It varies by league. Youth games are often six or seven innings, and many have time or run limits.
What is a foul ball?
A batted ball that lands outside the foul lines. It counts as a strike unless the batter already has two strikes.