Manny Machado may have just forced Major League Baseball(MLB) to revisit one of its oldest rules.
During the San Diego Padres’ matchup against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, Machado pulled off a brilliant defensive move that both helped his team and exposed a possible flaw in the MLB’s infield fly rule.
With the Reds leading 3–1 and a runner on first with no outs in the bottom of the fifth, Spencer Steer popped up a ball to the left side of the infield. Machado, the Padres’ third baseman, appeared ready to make a routine catch, but then he let the ball drop on purpose.
That’s when the savvy kicked in. Machado immediately scooped the ball and fired to second base, forcing out Elly De La Cruz, one of the fastest base runners in the league. Just like that, the Padres erased a huge threat from the basepaths.
Loophole in the MLB Infield Fly Rule?
According to MLB rules, the infield fly rule only applies when there are runners on first and second—or the bases are loaded—with fewer than two outs. The rule exists to prevent infielders from intentionally dropping a popup and turning an easy double or triple play.
But in this scenario, with just a runner on first, the rule didn’t apply. Machado used that to his advantage. While the play didn’t result in two outs, removing De La Cruz from the basepaths was arguably more valuable than catching the ball.
MLB fans and analysts were quick to praise Machado’s awareness. And to question whether the league should consider adjusting the rule to close this loophole.
“Heads-up play by Machado. That’s baseball IQ at its finest,” one fan wrote on X. “But yeah, MLB might need to patch that rule.”
This isn’t the first time smart base-running or fielding has highlighted a gray area in the rulebook. But it might be one of the most impactful. Manny Machado didn’t just make a great play, he may have sparked the next change in the MLB rulebook.
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