Glossary
Putout and assist (PO, A)
A putout (PO) is credited to the fielder who records an out: catches the ball, tags the base or tags the runner. An assist (A) is credited to each fielder who handled the ball on the way to that out.
Every out has exactly one putout. On a ground ball to short thrown to first, the first baseman catches the throw and gets the putout, and the shortstop gets the assist. On a fly ball, the fielder who catches it gets the putout and nobody gets an assist. On a strikeout, the catcher gets the putout, which is why catchers lead the box score in putouts.
An assist goes to any fielder who throws or deflects the ball on a play that becomes an out, even if the ball changes hands several times. A 6-4-3 double play gives the shortstop one assist, the second baseman one assist and one putout, and the first baseman one putout. A fielder who throws the ball twice on the same play, such as in a rundown, gets only one assist for it.
An assist also counts when a misplay by someone else stops the out. If the shortstop makes a good throw and the first baseman drops it, the shortstop still gets an assist and the first baseman an error.
Putouts and assists are how a scorebook proves itself. A team's putouts in a game must equal the outs it made: 21 in a seven-inning game, 27 in nine, fewer when the home team does not bat in the last inning. If the total is off, a box is missing a mark. For a coach, an outfielder's assists are a quick measure of who throws runners out.
Examples
- Ground ball to third, thrown to first: an assist for the third baseman (5), a putout for the first baseman (3).
- Fly ball caught by the center fielder: a putout for 8, no assist.
- A strikeout: a putout for the catcher (2).
- A single to right, the runner from second is thrown out at home: an assist for the right fielder (9), a putout for the catcher (2).
Put it on a card: Score sheets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who gets the putout on a strikeout?
The catcher. If the catcher drops strike three and throws to first, the first baseman gets the putout and the catcher an assist.
Can a fielder get both a putout and an assist on one play?
Yes, on a double play: the second baseman on a 6-4-3 takes the throw for the first out (a putout) and throws to first for the second (an assist).
Does a fielder get an assist if the throw is dropped?
Yes. A throw that would have made the out earns an assist even when the fielder receiving it drops the ball and is charged with an error.
How many putouts should a team have in a game?
One for each out it made: 21 in seven innings, 27 in nine, and fewer if the home team did not bat in the last inning.
More in the glossary
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