After Astros’ infield-fly rule play in outfield, it may be time to change name of rule

Pete Grathoff
·2 min read
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There was a weird game at Fenway Park on Thursday night as the Red Sox defeated the Astros 12-8.

Let’s start in the bottom of the sixth inning. The game was tied 8-8 and Boston had runners on first and second base with one out when Rafael Devers popped up to short center field.

Astros shortstop Carlos Correa drifted back and was under the ball when he dropped it. Baseball Savant shows the ball traveled 211 feet when Correa dropped it, but Devers was out on the Infield Fly Rule:

You may be saying to yourself that wasn’t even close to the infield, and you’re right. But that doesn’t matter. Here is what the MLB rulebook says:

“An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort,when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who stations himself in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule.”

That’s why Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t argue with the umpires and told reporters after the game he thought the rule was properly applied.

“One hundred percent,” Cora said, per MLB.com. “He was under control. He got to it. He actually did an amazing job sprinting back. I was OK with it.”

Fans at Fenway Park disagreed, but that’s likely because Correa wasn’t in the infield when he made the catch. Which is why the name of the rule should be changed to Infielder Fly Rule. It really has more to do with the infielder making the play than where the ball is caught.

Just a thought.

Someone who apparently wasn’t thinking was this guy who ran on the field during this game and was crushed by security:

That happened on the infield and just minutes after the Infield Fly Rule play.

There were six lead changes in the game, a 315-foot home run, a homer on a pitch that was less than a foot off the ground and Astros manager Dusty Baker was ejected.

So a lot happened in just nine innings.