Tag out facts for kids

In baseball, a player from the batting team is "out" when they are removed from play during their team's turn to bat. When three players from the batting team are out, their team's turn to bat ends, and the teams switch roles. The team that was batting now plays defense, and the team that was defending now gets to bat.

What Does "Out" Mean in Baseball?

Being "out" in baseball means a player's turn to bat or run the bases has ended. It's a key part of the game because teams need to get three outs to finish an inning and switch from defense to offense. Players can get out in several ways, often involving the ball and the defensive players.

How Players Get Tagged Out

One common way a player gets out is by being "tagged out." This happens when a defensive player touches a runner with the baseball (or the glove holding the ball) while the runner is not safely standing on a base.

• On the Bases: If a runner is trying to advance from one base to another, and a fielder touches them with the ball before they reach the next base, the runner is out.
• After Hitting: A batter who hits the ball must run to first base. If a fielder tags them with the ball before they touch first base, they are out.
• Leaving Early: Sometimes, a runner might leave a base too soon on a fly ball. If the fielder catches the ball and then tags the runner before they can get back to their original base, the runner is out.

Other Ways to Get Out

Besides being tagged out, there are many other ways players can get out in baseball:

• Strikeout: A batter gets three "strikes" (swings and misses, or pitches in the strike zone they don't swing at). If they get three strikes, they are out.
• Fly Out: If a batter hits the ball high into the air, and a defensive player catches it before it hits the ground, the batter is out.
• Force Out: This happens when a runner has to advance to the next base because another runner is coming behind them, and a defensive player with the ball touches that base before the runner arrives. For example, if a batter hits the ball and runs to first base, the runner already on first base is "forced" to run to second. If the fielder touches second base with the ball before the runner gets there, the runner is out.

Why Getting Outs Matters

The goal of the defensive team is to get three outs as quickly as possible. This stops the batting team from scoring runs. Once three outs are made, the teams swap roles, and the team that was just playing defense gets a chance to score runs. This back-and-forth continues for nine innings, and the team with the most runs at the end wins the game.

Related pages

• Run out

Images for kids

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  First baseman, tagging a diving runner.

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  A 1911 American Tobacco Company baseball card illustrating a baserunner being tagged out at third base.

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  A shortstop tries to tag out a runner who is sliding headfirst, trying to reach a base.