Doubleplay

A double play is a defensive baseball play in which two offensive players are retired within a single continuous action, producing two outs and typically ending an inning. Double plays are most common when the batter hits a ground ball with a runner on base, allowing the defense to force out a runner at one base and then retire the batter at another base.

The play is often described by the sequence of fielders who touch the ball. Common examples include 6-4-3 and 4-6-3. In a 6-4-3 double play, the shortstop (position 6) fields the ball, throws to the second baseman (position 4) to force out the runner, and the second baseman then throws to the first baseman (position 3) to retire the batter. In a 4-6-3 double play, the second baseman fields the ball and initiates the play with a throw to the shortstop, who then throws to the first baseman. A 5-4-3 double play (third baseman to second baseman to first) is another frequently cited variant.

Double plays are recorded in official statistics as a double play (often abbreviated DP). They are a key defensive tool, typically reducing the chance of multiple runs scoring and sometimes changing the momentum of a game. There are also unassisted double plays, rare plays in which a single fielder records two outs on one continuous motion, such as a line drive caught by the first baseman who steps on first base to double off a runner.