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A fielder’s choice (FC) happens when a fielder handles a fair batted ball but chooses to try to retire another runner instead of making the play on the batter-runner.
The classic example is simple:
Runner on first → ground ball to shortstop → shortstop throws to second for the force out → batter reaches first.
The batter is safe at first, but he is not credited with a hit.
Instead, the play is recorded as a fielder’s choice.
That distinction matters because an FC normally counts as an at-bat without a hit, which can lower the batter’s batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
MLB’s definition of a hit specifically excludes situations in which the batter reaches via a fielder’s choice.
What Exactly Is a Fielder’s Choice?
The easiest way to understand a fielder’s choice is to focus on the defense’s decision.
Suppose there is a runner on first and the batter hits a routine ground ball to shortstop.
The shortstop has two possible plays:
Option A: Throw to first and retire the batter.
Option B: Throw to second and retire the runner coming from first.
If the shortstop chooses Option B and gets the force at second while the batter reaches first, the batter has reached on a fielder’s choice.
MLB describes this situation as one in which a fielder opts to retire a runner at second, third or home rather than throwing to or tagging first base to retire the batter-runner.
The important point is:
Reaching first base does not automatically mean the batter gets a hit.
Fielder’s Choice vs. Hit
This is the most important comparison.
A batter gets a hit when he reaches safely on a fair batted ball without doing so because of an error or fielder’s choice.
Consider two similar plays.
Example A: Routine Ground Ball
Runner on first.
The batter hits a routine grounder to shortstop. The shortstop could make the play at first but instead throws to second and gets the lead runner.
Scoring: FC
The batter gets no hit.
Example B: Slow Infield Roller
Runner on first.
The batter hits a very slow roller and would likely beat a throw to first anyway. The fielder tries to get the lead runner but everyone is safe.
If the official scorer determines that the batter earned first base with the batted ball rather than reaching because of the defensive choice, the play may instead be scored as a hit.
That’s why some plays that look similar on television can receive different scoring decisions.
Fielder’s Choice vs. Error
A fielder’s choice and an error are also different concepts.
An error occurs when, in the official scorer’s judgment, a fielder fails to make a play that an average fielder should make.
With a normal FC, the defense makes a strategic choice to pursue another runner.
With an error, a defensive misplay changes the outcome.
For example:
FC: Shortstop cleanly fields the ball and throws to second for a force.
Error: Shortstop fields a routine ground ball but throws wildly when an ordinary play should have produced an out.
The two concepts can also appear within the same sequence, so scoring should not be reduced to a rule such as “clean play = FC, bad play = error.”
The official scorer evaluates what actually happened.
Who Decides Whether It Is an FC?
The official scorer, not the umpire.
Umpires decide what happened on the field:
Safe or out.
The official scorer determines how the result is recorded:
Hit, error, fielder’s choice, sacrifice, and so on.
MLB defines the official scorer as the person responsible for recording the game’s outcomes and making judgment calls affecting the official record.
This distinction explains why an umpire can call the batter safe at first while the batter still receives no hit.
Safe/out and hit/FC are different decisions.
How Does a Fielder’s Choice Affect Batting Average?
A typical fielder’s choice counts as an at-bat but not a hit.
Batting average is:
AVG = Hits ÷ At-Bats
Suppose a player enters a game batting:
30-for-100 = .300
He then reaches first on a fielder’s choice.
His line becomes:
30-for-101 = .297
He reached base physically, but because he did not receive a hit, his batting average falls.
This is one of the reasons FC can initially seem strange to new fans.
Does a Fielder’s Choice Count Toward OBP?
No.
MLB’s definition of on-base percentage explicitly excludes times a batter reaches on a fielder’s choice.
The standard OBP formula is:
(H + BB + HBP) ÷ (AB + BB + HBP + SF)
Notice that FC does not appear in the numerator.
So a batter can be standing safely on first base without receiving credit as having reached base for OBP purposes.
For example, imagine a player begins:
40 H + 10 BB + 2 HBP in 120 AB + 3 SF
OBP:
52 ÷ 135 = .385
After an FC adds another at-bat:
52 ÷ 136 = .382
The player reached first, but his OBP decreased.
What Does an FC Do to Slugging Percentage?
A fielder’s choice gives the batter zero total bases.
MLB calculates slugging percentage using total bases from hits divided by at-bats.
So an FC:
- Adds an at-bat
- Adds no hit
- Adds zero total bases
That lowers SLG unless rounding leaves the displayed number unchanged.
Because:
OPS = OBP + SLG
an FC can also reduce OPS.
Quick Stat Impact of a Fielder’s Choice
| Statistic | Typical FC effect |
|---|---|
| At-Bat (AB) | +1 |
| Hit (H) | 0 |
| Batting Average | Can decrease |
| OBP | Can decrease |
| Total Bases | 0 |
| SLG | Can decrease |
| OPS | Can decrease |
| RBI | Possible, depending on the play |
| Run scored | Possible if the batter later scores |
MLB explicitly notes that a player who reaches on a fielder’s choice can still later be credited with a run scored. How the player originally reached base does not prevent him from receiving the run if he eventually crosses home plate.
Can a Batter Get an RBI on a Fielder’s Choice?
Yes, in some situations.
Consider:
Runners on first and third, one out.
The batter hits a ground ball. The defense gets the runner at second while the runner from third scores.
The batter did not receive a hit, but he may still receive an RBI because his plate appearance produced the run.
However, RBI scoring has exceptions involving errors, double plays and other circumstances.
So:
FC does not automatically mean no RBI.
The specific play matters.
Can There Be a Fielder’s Choice Without an Out?
Yes.
This is another situation that confuses fans.
Suppose:
- Runner on first
- Routine ground ball to shortstop
- Shortstop could make the play at first
- Instead, he tries to retire the lead runner at second
- The throw arrives too late
- Everyone is safe
The official scorer can still rule the batter reached on a fielder’s choice rather than award a hit.
The fact that the defense failed to record an out does not by itself turn the play into a base hit.
Does FC Count as Total Bases?
No.
Total bases come from hits:
- Single = 1
- Double = 2
- Triple = 3
- Home run = 4
Because an FC is not a hit, it gives the batter zero total bases.
That’s why it can reduce slugging percentage even though the batter ends the play standing on base.
Fielder’s Choice vs. Double Play
These are related but should not be treated as identical scoring outcomes.
Classic FC:
Ground ball → force at second → batter safe at first.
A completed double play:
Ground ball → force at second → relay to first → batter also out.
In the second situation, the batter does not end the play standing on first via FC.
MLB separately tracks double plays and groundouts, while its groundout definition notes that a groundout can also occur when the batter reaches first and the defense records an out elsewhere through a fielder’s choice.
So don’t assume every ground ball with a force out should appear identically in the scorebook.
Example 1: The Classic 6-4 Fielder’s Choice
Situation: Runner on first, no outs.
The batter hits a ground ball to shortstop.
The shortstop throws to the second baseman, who steps on second before the runner arrives.
The batter reaches first.
Result:
Runner from first: out.
Batter: safe at first.
Batter credited with hit: No.
This is the standard fielder’s-choice situation.
A scorekeeper may record the play using FC along with the relevant defensive position numbers. MLB’s basic scorekeeping guide lists FC as the standard symbol for fielder’s choice.
Example 2: Everyone Is Safe
Situation: Runners on first and second.
The batter hits a routine ground ball to shortstop.
Instead of taking the out at first, the shortstop throws to third to try to retire the lead runner.
The throw is late.
Everyone is safe.
If the scorer judges that the batter could have been retired at first but reached because the defense chose to pursue the lead runner, the batter can be credited with an FC rather than a hit.
This is why:
No out ≠ automatically a hit.
Example 3: FC Produces a Run
Situation: Runners on first and third, one out.
The batter hits a ground ball to shortstop.
The defense forces the runner at second while the runner from third scores.
The batter reaches first.
The batter receives no hit, but depending on the scoring circumstances, he can receive an RBI.
The team therefore gained a run even though the batter’s AVG, OBP and SLG received no benefit from the play.
This illustrates why individual batting statistics and team value are not always the same thing.
Can an FC Break Up a No-Hitter?
No.
A no-hitter is broken by a hit.
Because reaching on a fielder’s choice is not recorded as a hit, an FC does not by itself end a no-hitter.
MLB’s definition of a hit specifically excludes reaching via fielder’s choice.
Does an FC Count Against WHIP?
No.
WHIP is calculated from:
Walks + Hits ÷ Innings Pitched
MLB specifically notes that batters who reach via fielder’s choice do not count against a pitcher’s WHIP.
That’s another example of the difference between:
physically reaching base
and
being statistically credited with a hit or walk.
Why Does Baseball Score FC This Way?
Baseball statistics try to distinguish what the batter accomplished from what the defense chose to do.
If the defense could retire the batter but instead chooses to pursue another runner, baseball does not automatically reward the batter with a hit simply because he ends up safe at first.
That’s why these three events are separated:
Hit → batter earns safe passage through the batted ball.
Fielder’s choice → defense chooses to pursue another runner.
Error → defensive misplay affects the outcome.
The categories aren’t perfect descriptions of a batter’s contribution to winning, but they preserve consistent distinctions in traditional scoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FC mean in baseball?
FC stands for fielder’s choice.
It generally describes a play in which a fielder chooses to make a play on another runner instead of retiring the batter-runner at first.
Does a fielder’s choice count as a hit?
No.
MLB’s definition of a hit specifically excludes reaching on a fielder’s choice.
Does an FC count as an at-bat?
A typical fielder’s choice counts as an at-bat without a hit.
Does a fielder’s choice hurt batting average?
It can. Because an FC generally adds an at-bat without adding a hit, batting average can decrease.
Does a fielder’s choice count toward OBP?
No. MLB explicitly excludes reaching on a fielder’s choice from the OBP numerator.
Can you get an RBI on a fielder’s choice?
Yes, depending on how the run scores and whether an RBI exception—such as certain double-play or error situations—applies.
Can there be an FC if everyone is safe?
Yes. A scorer can rule FC when the defense unsuccessfully tries to retire another runner if the batter’s advancement is attributable to that choice rather than a base hit.
Does an FC break up a no-hitter?
No. An FC is not a hit.
Does FC count against a pitcher’s WHIP?
No. MLB specifically excludes runners reaching by fielder’s choice from WHIP.