Only the defensive team may appeal batting out of order after the batter has completed his time at bat. True or False?

• A. True.
• B. False.
• C. It depends on the count.
• D. Only the defensive team may appeal batting out of order after the batter has completed his time at bat.

Answer: (A)

The rule hinges on who may protest a misstep in the batting order and when that protest can be made. If a batter is not in the correct spot in the lineup, the defense has the option to appeal to the umpire to enforce the proper order. This appeal must come after the batter who was in the wrong spot has completed his time at bat, so the at-bat has resolved before any correction is applied. That prevents disruption of live play and ensures the ruling is based on a completed sequence.

Because the appeal is a defensive protest, the offensive team does not initiate it in this situation, and the timing requirement ties the appeal to the completion of the batter’s plate appearance. If the appeal is upheld, the proper batter takes his place in the order and the play is adjusted accordingly.

So the statement is true: only the defensive team may appeal batting out of order, and only after the batter has completed his time at bat.