When you're watching a tight baseball game and a batter squares around to bunt, a common point of confusion arises around the terminology of pitches, passes, and wild deliveries. Fans often wonder: is a pitch considered a pass? The short answer is no. In official baseball scoring and rulebooks, a pitch is a pitched ball delivered by the pitcher to home plate, while a "pass" or passed ball is a specific defensive error charged against the catcher.
The confusion usually stems from a mix-up between football terminology and baseball jargon, or a misunderstanding of how a missed bunt attempt interacts with baserunning rules. Let's break down the official rules, clarify the mechanics of bunting, and clear up the exact definitions governing every single pitch thrown in major league play.
Defining a Pitch Versus a Passed Ball
To understand why a pitch can never simply be classified as a pass, we have to look at the definitions laid out by the MLB Official Rules. A pitch is simply the delivery of the ball by the pitcher to the batter. The moment the ball leaves the pitcher's hand, it begins its journey toward the strike zone.
A passed ball, on the other hand, is defined strictly by the actions of the catcher. According to official scoring rules, a passed ball occurs when a legally pitched ball gets past the catcher, enabling a baserunner to advance a base, provided the ball could have been caught or controlled with ordinary effort.
If a pitcher throws a ball that sails past the catcher, it's a passed ball (if catchable) or a wild pitch (if uncatchable). Neither scenario transforms the pitch itself into a "pass." The pitch remains a pitch from the moment of release until it is caught, bunted, fouled off, or called a ball or strike by the umpire.
The Reality of Bunting and Pitch Reception
Bunting introduces a dynamic element to this equation because the batter is actively trying to make soft contact with the incoming pitch. When a batter squares to bunt, several distinct things can happen:
- Successful Bunt: The bat meets the ball, deadening its momentum so it rolls softly into the infield. This is a batted ball, completely separate from any concept of a pass.
- Missed Bunt / Strike: The batter swings or attempts to bunt, misses the ball entirely, and the catcher secures it cleanly. This is recorded as a strike or a ball depending on its location.
- Passed Ball on a Bunt Attempt: The pitcher throws a legal pitch, the batter pulls their bat back or misses the bunt, and the catcher fails to catch a ball that was within normal reach. Any advancing runner takes an extra base via a passed ball.
Notice that in every single instance, the delivery is classified as a pitch. The bat's interaction—or lack of interaction—determines whether the ball is put into play, becomes a strike, or results in a defensive miscue.
Common Rule Misconceptions
Baseball terminology is filled with slang that occasionally crosses over into other sports, leading to persistent myths.
1. The Football Cross-Over Confusion
In gridiron football, a lateral or backward toss is called a pitch, and throwing the ball forward is a pass. Casual fans sometimes try to apply this logic to baseball, assuming a pitch that misses the bat acts like a pass. In baseball, however, a pitch is exclusively the delivery from the mound to home plate. There is no such thing as a "pass" in standard baseball rules, save for the statistical term "passed ball" charged to a catcher.
2. Intentional Walks vs. Pitches
People sometimes confuse an intentional walk (where the catcher stands up and extends an arm to receive four wide pitches) with a pass. While announcers might colloquially say the pitcher "passes" the batter, the official rulebook counts those as four distinct pitches thrown outside the strike zone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a passed ball the same thing as a wild pitch?
No. A wild pitch is charged to the pitcher when the delivery is so high, wide, or low that the catcher cannot control it with ordinary effort. A passed ball is charged to the catcher when the pitch is considered catchable with ordinary effort but is mishandled.
Does a bunted ball count as an official at-bat?
Yes, a sacrifice bunt does not count as an official at-bat for the batter (it's recorded as a sacrifice), but standard bunts attempted for a hit or resulting in an out (other than a sacrifice) do count as official at-bats.
Can a runner advance on a missed bunt if the catcher drops the ball?
Yes. If the batter pulls the bat back and the catcher fails to secure a catchable pitch, it is ruled a passed ball, and any runners on base are legally entitled to attempt to advance at their own risk.
What happens if a bunted ball hits the batter's foot?
If the batter is still in the batter's box and makes contact with the ball while holding the bat, it's a fair or foul ball depending on where it lands. If the ball hits the batter's body or clothing directly while in the box, it is a dead ball and ruled a foul ball (unless it was a pitched ball that hit them without an attempt to swing or bunt, which results in a hit-by-pitch).
