When HP Umpire Sam Holbrook ruled runner’s lane interference against Washington’s Trea Turner, it ignited a firestorm in the visiting dugout. Did the umpires get this call right? Article/Explanation: [ Ссылка ]

Our very detailed analysis of RLI goes all the way back to 1882 and the history of why the runner’s lane exists in the first place, what a batter is expected to do, and previous instances where runner’s lane interference has been called, including a few RLI calls during the 2019 that produced ejections.

In sum, this is the correct call because 1) Nationals batter-runner Turner failed to run within the runner’s lane at any point during his journey to first base and 2) Turner impeded Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel’s ability to field the throw from Brad Peacock in front of first base. The question is not whether the throw is true, but whether it could reasonably retire the runner—not would, but COULD. The rule is written such that any benefit of the doubt goes to the defense, for the offense has violated by failing to run within the runner’s lane.

If this exact sample play occurred, all else equal, but the only difference was that Turner legally ran within the runner’s lane prior to exiting within a step or stride of first base, then there would be NO interference. The key factor is that a runner cannot receive protection to EXIT a lane if the runner was never WITHIN the lane to begin with.

We do something that FOX and many, many, many journalists failed to do when discussing this play: cite the actual rules involved as well as the umpire interpretations of those rules that are used to officiate the plays on the field.

Official Baseball Rule 5.09(a)(11) for reference: “A batter is out when—In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead...The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base."

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