MLB’s rarely used “fourth out” rule decides a Red Sox-Blue Jays moment

The “fourth out” rule, a regulation most fans only hear about when something goes wrong, came into play during a Red Sox-Blue Jays game. With runners on the corners and one out, Ceddanne Rafaela hit a fly ball to center that should have been the third out on a routine sac-fly-style play. Instead, both runners advanced because they believed there were two outs remaining, turning what looked like an inning-ending out into a scoring opportunity.

Toronto’s defense completed a double play, and the base running went far enough that the run was counted. Nick Sogard was doubled off first, but the key detail reported from the game sequence was that the run scored before the out that ended the play was recorded. That ordering matters under baseball’s out-counting logic, especially when the defense can still create a later out after the “expected” third out has already happened in real time.

The twist that made the moment so notable was not just the double but the absence of an appeal at third base. The game ended with the Blue Jays leaving the field before making the appeal that would have confirmed a fourth out situation. Under that scenario, the run would not have stood if the appeal had been successfully handled in time, because the play’s outcome hinges on exactly how many outs are legally recorded and when.

The discussion around the inning also folded into a larger storyline for both teams that night. The same “Opener” column noted that the Red Sox were expected to get Adley Rutschman back on Tuesday, adding a practical context to why managing the late-inning baserunning and defensive communication is so important even beyond any one controversy.

For Baltimore-based fans and the broader baseball audience, the column also highlighted Dean Kremer’s performance versus his former team, describing his dominance in the matchup. Kremer’s ability to get through lineups cleanly matters because it changes the setup for innings like the one involving Rafaela, where a single misjudged out count can force a team to rely on quick defensive completion.

Finally, the opener tied the night together by mentioning Yoshinobu Senga, another high-leverage name typically associated with late-game pitching plans. Taken together, the game served as a reminder that pitching duels and bullpen management decisions can be undone by a single baserunning assumption, particularly when runners react to the game clock of an out count rather than waiting for clear, authoritative confirmation from the field.

It is also worth noting the procedural caveat embedded in the report: the difference between a run counting and a run being removed can come down to whether the defense appeals after the fact. Baseball’s “fourth out” framework is designed to resolve exactly these borderline situations, but the practical implementation depends on teams recognizing the moment and acting before the field is cleared. What to watch next is whether the Red Sox tighten their baserunning communication and whether Toronto’s staff becomes more aggressive about appeals in similar configurations, especially in late-inning or close-game contexts where every run carries more weight.