10 strange-but-true rules from MLB's official rulebook
MLB's official rulebook is stuffed with obscure, rarely-applied rules that you might never see in action, even if you watch baseball every day for your entire life. So, with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp soon, we present the 10 most strange-but-tru
10. Runners advance one base if a pitched ball "lodges in the umpire's or catcher's mask or paraphernalia." Rule 5.09(g)
9. A designated hitter is specifically prohibited from sitting in the bullpen, unless serving as a bullpen catcher. Rule 6.10(b)(15)
8. A runner is out when they are hit by a fair batted ball, whether they are on a base or not, except when the infield fly rule is called. In that case they are not out if hit by the ball while on base, but are still out if hit by the ball off a base. Rule 7.08(f)
7. When a manager, coach or player are ejected, they are expressly permitted to take a seat in the stands, as long as they change into street clothes and are "well removed from the vincinity of his team's bench or bullpen." Rule 4.07
6. If a fielder deflects a fair ball into the stands, it counts as a home run; unless the deflection somehow manages to occur 250 feet or closer to home plate, in which case all runners only advance two bases. Rule 6.09(h)
5. If a player pinch-hits for a batter in the middle of an at-bat with two strikes, and strikes out, the at-bat and strikeout are credited to the replaced batter. Any other outcome is credited to the pinch-hitter. Rule 10.15(b)
4. The umpire has the specific authority to, in the case of wet weather, instruct the pitcher to put the rosin bag in his pocket. Rule 8.02(a)
3. All runners, including the batter, advance three bases if a fielder intentionally touches a fair batted ball with their cap, mask or any other part of their uniform "detached from the proper place on his person." All runners advance two bases if the same thing happens on a thrown ball. Rule 7.05(b-e)
2. If there are two strikes on the batter, and a runner steals home, and the pitch hits the runner in the strike zone, the batter is out. The run does not score if there are two outs; if there are less than two outs, it does. Rule 6.05(n)
1. Pitchers are allowed to switch their throwing arm in the middle of an at-bat, but only if they have injured the other one. If one does, they do not get an opportunity to warm up with the other arm. Rule 8.01(f)
-- Dan Wohl / MLB.com
