Force play

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In baseball, a force play or force out occurs when a batter becomes a runner and gets put out because an opponent with possession of the ball reaches first base before the batter can get there.

It also occurs in any situation in which a base-runner is compelled (or forced) to vacate their starting base and attempt to advance to the next base. When a runner is forced to advance to a base, they are forced out if an opponent with possession of the ball reaches that base before they do.

Baserunners are forced to attempt to advance to the next base whenever a teammate is forced to advance to their own base. Because of this, a runner at first base is always forced to attempt to advance to second base when the batter becomes a runner, and runners at second or third base are forced only when all bases preceding their time-of-pitch base are occupied by other base-runners and the batter becomes a runner. However, runners are no longer forced to advance to the next base if any runner behind them on the base-paths is put out.