In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that lands outside of the foul lines that define the playing field. A foul ball is considered dead and no longer in play, and it is counted as a strike if the batter has less than two strikes, but not if the batter already has two strikes.
Foul balls can occur for a number of reasons, such as when the batter hits the ball too far to one side of the field, or when the ball hits the batter’s body or equipment before traveling into foul territory. The foul lines are the lines that extend from home plate to the outfield wall, and a ball that lands outside of these lines is considered a foul ball.
When a foul ball is hit, the umpire will make a signal to indicate that the ball is foul. The ball is then retrieved by a member of the fielding team and returned to the pitcher, who resumes play by throwing another pitch.
Foul balls can have different consequences depending on the circumstances of the play. For example, if a batter hits a foul ball with two strikes, they will continue their at-bat until they hit a fair ball, strike out, or reach base via a walk, hit by pitch, or defensive error.
Overall, a foul ball is a batted ball that lands outside of the foul lines that define the playing field. It is counted as a strike in certain circumstances, but is considered dead and no longer in play. Foul balls are a common occurrence in baseball and can have different consequences depending on the situation.