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• Why is a foul bunt on strike three an out?

• Following up on "Why does a foul ball not count as a third strike?", I can understand caught fouls and foul tips being counted as strike 3. But what is the logic behind a 3rd strike foul bunt being an out? Bunts are some of the most exciting plays in baseball. Is this just to encourage good bunting skills?

  baseball

  261kmm
  1 year ago
• 2 answers:
• 2.5kwax eagle
  1 year ago

  It is much easier to make contact with a pitch on a bunt than with a regular swing. The foul out on a bunt rule basically exists to speed up play and prevent gamesmanship on the part of the batter.

  If the batter could always bunt on strike two then batters like the pitcher and other poor hitters would walk significantly more often because it is easier for them to make even a little contact with a decent pitch than it is for the pitcher to continue to throw strikes.

• 371Reustonium
  1 year ago

  As an extension of that strategy a team could bunt with two strikes repeatedly to force a dominating pitcher out of the game due to exhaustion.

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