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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/base-foul-two-strikes

A batter with two strikes swings and hits a regular foul ball. What happens?

Nothing changes. The count stays at two strikes.

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  1. The batter is out on strike three
  2. The count stays the same ✔
  3. The batter gets a ball

Why: A foul ball counts as a strike only when the batter has fewer than two strikes. With two strikes, a normal foul cannot be strike three, so the batter keeps hitting.

Huh, didn't know that: Batters can foul off pitch after pitch with two strikes to wait for one they like.

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Why did the chicken get kicked off the team? Too many fowl balls.
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References

Answer: The count stays the same. A foul ball counts as a strike only when the batter has fewer than two strikes. With two strikes, a normal foul cannot be strike three, so the batter keeps hitting.

  1. Official Baseball Rules, 2026 Edition (MLB) mktg.mlbstatic.com/mlb/official-information/2026-official-baseball-rules.pdf
    Is fouled by the batter when he has less than two strikes;
    Checked 2026-10-12.
  2. MLB Glossary: Strikeout www.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/strikeout
    A foul ball counts as a strike, but it cannot be the third and final strike of the at-bat.
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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