Baseball Rules
What is a Fielder's Choice
What is a Fielder's Choice
in Baseball?
When a fielder skips the easy out at first to chase a runner on the bases — that's a fielder's choice. Here's exactly how it works and why it matters.
⚡ Quick Answer
Definition
A fielder's choice is when a fielder fields a ground ball and throws to retire a baserunner instead of the batter at first base. The batter reaches base safely as a result.
Scored as
Not a hit. Counts as an at-bat. Does count toward on-base percentage.
Most common
Runner on first, ground ball to an infielder who throws to second to get the lead runner instead of taking the easy out at first.
Does it count
as a hit?
as a hit?
No. The batter reaches base but is not credited with a hit. Batting average goes down, OBP goes up.
A fielder's choice happens constantly in baseball and most casual fans don't realize they're watching one. The defense could make the easy out at first — but they decide the more important play is somewhere else on the diamond. The batter reaches base, but it doesn't go in the scorebook as a hit. Here's how it works, how it gets scored, and why it matters for both the game and a player's stats.
What is a fielder's choice?
According to MLB's official rules, a fielder's choice is an act of a fielder who fields a ground ball and attempts to put out a preceding runner at second, third, or home instead of throwing to first to retire the batter. The batter reaches first base safely as a result of that choice — but because no hit was required to get there, the play is recorded as a fielder's choice, not a hit.
The term also covers a second scenario: when a baserunner advances on a play not directly caused by a hit or error. If a runner on first moves to third while the fielder is throwing to second on a ground ball, that advancement is also recorded as a fielder's choice.
6,268
Fielder's choice plays recorded across MLB in the 2021 season (Baseball-Reference)
FC
Official scorekeeper notation for a fielder's choice play
0
Hits credited — a fielder's choice never counts as a hit regardless of outcome
The most common fielder's choice situations
Runner on first — ground ball to the infield
The most common fielder's choice in baseball. Runner on first, ground ball hit to the shortstop or second baseman. Instead of taking the easy out at first, the fielder throws to second to get the lead runner. The batter is safe at first. The shortstop or second baseman gets an assist, the player covering second gets the putout — and the batter gets charged with an at-bat but no hit.
Runner on third, less than two outs — play at the plate
The defense decides preventing a run is more important than retiring the batter. Ground ball hit, fielder throws home instead of first. The runner is out at the plate, the batter is safe at first. Classic fielder's choice — the defense made a strategic decision and the scorekeeper records it accordingly.
Runners on first and second — lead runner play
Ground ball to the second baseman with runners on first and second. Instead of going to first for the easy out, the second baseman throws to third to retire the lead runner. The batter is safe at first on the fielder's choice. This situation often sets up a double play if the defense reads it right — or leaves the bases loaded if they misread it.
Double play attempt
The fielder's choice is often the first half of a double play. Ground ball to the shortstop, throw to second for the force out — then relay to first to get the batter. If the double play is completed, the batter is out. If only the lead runner is retired, it's a fielder's choice. The key is whether the relay to first beat the batter.
How a fielder's choice affects stats
This is where fielder's choices get interesting — they affect different statistics in different ways, which confuses a lot of fans and even some players.
Batting Average — goes down
A fielder's choice counts as an at-bat but not a hit. So it reduces batting average. A player who goes 1-for-4 with a fielder's choice is effectively 1-for-5 in terms of at-bats — but only 1-for-4 shows on the official line.
On-Base Percentage — goes up
OBP counts every time a batter safely reaches base. A fielder's choice gets the batter on base, so it counts toward OBP. This is one reason OBP is considered a more complete measure of offensive value than batting average alone.
RBI — may apply
If a runner scores as a result of a fielder's choice, the batter can be credited with an RBI — as long as the run scored wasn't the direct result of a defensive error. The run has to be earned for the RBI to count.
Hits — never credited
A fielder's choice is never a hit, period. Even if the defense botches the play at second and nobody gets out, the batter still only gets credit for a fielder's choice — not a hit. The intent of the fielder is what matters, not the outcome.
💡 When does a plate appearance NOT count as an at-bat?
A fielder's choice does count as an at-bat. The situations that don't count as at-bats are: sacrifice bunts, sacrifice flies, walks, hit by pitches, and catcher's interference. A fielder's choice is not one of those exceptions — it goes in the at-bat column every time.
Fielder's choice vs. error — what's the difference?
Both result in the batter reaching base without a hit, and both affect stats differently. The key difference is intent.
| Fielder's Choice | Error | |
|---|---|---|
| What happened | Fielder chose to throw elsewhere instead of retiring batter | Fielder failed to make a routine play |
| Counts as hit? | No | No |
| Counts as at-bat? | Yes | Yes |
| Counts toward OBP? | Yes | No |
| Who decides? | Automatic — fielder clearly chose another target | Official scorer judgment call |
| Intent | Deliberate strategic decision | Mistake — play that should have been made |
The official scorer determines whether a play is a fielder's choice or an error. Fielder's choices are generally straightforward — the fielder obviously threw to a different base. Errors require more judgment, since the scorer has to decide whether an ordinary fielder making ordinary effort would have retired the batter. Difficult plays that are missed are not scored as errors. A shortstop who dives for a hard-hit ball and doesn't convert it isn't charged with an error — it would have taken an exceptional play to retire the runner.
How is a fielder's choice scored?
The official scorer records a fielder's choice as FC in the scorebook. The fielder who made the play gets an assist. If an out was recorded — say the lead runner was retired at second — the fielder covering second gets the putout. If no out was made because the defense threw late or wide, it's still scored as a fielder's choice — not an error — as long as the fielder made a legitimate throw to the correct base.
One thing that trips up a lot of people: the fielder's choice stands regardless of whether the attempted play succeeds. If the shortstop throws to second trying to get the runner and the throw pulls the second baseman off the bag, nobody is out — but the batter still gets a fielder's choice, not a hit. The decision to throw elsewhere was made, and that's what the scorekeeper records.
Frequently asked questions
Does a fielder's choice count as a hit?
No. A fielder's choice never counts as a hit. The batter reaches base, but because the fielder chose to throw elsewhere rather than being unable to retire the batter, no hit is credited. The at-bat counts against batting average.
Does a fielder's choice count as an at-bat?
Yes. A fielder's choice counts as an official at-bat. It does not count as a hit, so it reduces batting average. However, it does count toward on-base percentage since the batter reached base safely.
What is the difference between a fielder's choice and an error?
A fielder's choice is a deliberate strategic decision — the fielder chose to throw to another base instead of retiring the batter. An error is a mistake — the fielder failed to make a play that should have been made with ordinary effort. The key difference is intent. A fielder's choice counts toward OBP; an error does not.
Can you get an RBI on a fielder's choice?
Yes. If a runner scores as a result of a fielder's choice play — and the run was not enabled by a defensive error — the batter can be credited with an RBI. The run has to be considered earned for the RBI to count.
Does a fielder's choice count toward on-base percentage?
Yes. On-base percentage counts every time a batter safely reaches base, including via fielder's choice. This is one of the key differences between OBP and batting average — OBP captures more of the batter's actual offensive contribution.
What does FC mean in baseball scoring?
FC stands for fielder's choice. It's the official scorekeeper notation used when a batter reaches base because a fielder chose to throw to another base instead of first. You'll see FC in box scores and official scorebooks.
A fielder's choice is one of those plays that looks simple but has real stat implications. The batter reaches base — but takes an at-bat hit to their batting average while getting a small bump to their OBP. The defense made a strategic decision, not a mistake. Understanding the difference between a fielder's choice and an error is one of the things that separates a real baseball fan from a casual one.
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