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Yes. Intentional walks still exist in Major League Baseball, but since 2017 a pitcher no longer has to throw four balls to issue one.
Under the current procedure, the defensive team’s manager can signal an intentional walk to the home-plate umpire. The umpire then immediately awards the batter first base without a pitch being thrown.
The old four-pitch method has not technically disappeared, either. A team can still choose to pitch to the batter and ultimately walk him intentionally. The major change is that MLB now provides a no-pitch option.
How Does an Intentional Walk Work Today?
An intentional walk, recorded as IBB (Intentional Base on Balls), occurs when the defense deliberately chooses to put a batter on first base rather than pitch to him normally.
Since the 2017 season, the process can be extremely simple:
- The defensive manager informs the home-plate umpire that he wants to intentionally walk the batter.
- The umpire awards the batter first base.
- No pitch needs to be thrown.
The intentional walk counts as a walk for the hitter and a walk allowed by the pitcher.
Because no pitch is actually delivered during a no-pitch IBB, it also does not add pitches to the pitcher’s pitch count.
Who Can Signal the Intentional Walk?
The manager.
This is one place where the old article needed correcting.
When MLB introduced the procedure in 2017, the league specified that the defensive team’s manager signals the decision to the home-plate umpire. MLB’s contemporary explanation also clarified that players themselves cannot initiate the no-pitch procedure.
There is no required universal hand signal. What matters is that the manager communicates the decision to the umpire.
What Changed in 2017?
Before 2017, a team could not simply tell the umpire to award first base.
The pitcher normally had to deliver enough balls to produce a walk.
That created the familiar scene of a catcher standing away from the plate while the pitcher tossed intentional balls far outside the strike zone.
MLB and the MLB Players Association changed the procedure beginning with the 2017 regular season.
The new rule allowed the manager to signal the intentional walk and have the batter immediately awarded first base.
Why Did MLB Change the Rule?
The change was part of MLB’s broader effort to improve the pace of play by removing predictable dead time.
But the effect was never expected to be huge.
In 2016, the final season before the change, MLB recorded 932 intentional walks in 4,856 games. MLB noted at the time that eliminating those pitches would therefore have very little overall effect on game times.
That works out to about:
932 ÷ 4,856 ≈ 0.19 intentional walks per game
So the no-pitch IBB was a small pace-of-play measure, not a major solution to game length.
Old Intentional Walk vs. No-Pitch Intentional Walk
The strategic outcome is similar—the batter reaches first—but the mechanics are different.
| Traditional Method | No-Pitch IBB | |
|---|---|---|
| Pitches required | Enough balls to produce the walk | None |
| Manager signals umpire | Not required for ordinary pitched walk | Yes |
| Batter receives first | Yes | Yes |
| Pitches added to pitch count | Yes | No |
| Batter can swing | Yes | No pitch exists to swing at |
| Wild pitch possible | Yes | No pitch is thrown |
| Introduced | Traditional method | 2017 |
This distinction explains why the old intentional walk occasionally produced unusual plays.
A pitcher could miss his location badly. A runner could advance. A batter could even swing at a pitch intended to be a ball.
The automatic procedure removes those possibilities because there is no pitch.
Can a Team Still Throw Four Intentional Balls?
Yes.
MLB’s explanation when the 2017 change was introduced specifically noted that nothing prevents a manager from having the pitcher use the traditional pitched method instead.
This distinction matters because pitches are live baseball plays.
If the defense actually throws pitches:
- The batter can swing.
- A runner can attempt to advance.
- A wild pitch or passed ball can occur.
- The pitches count toward the pitcher’s workload.
With a no-pitch intentional walk, none of those pitches take place.
In modern MLB, however, the manager normally has little reason to accept those additional risks when the objective is simply to award first base.
Can an Intentional Walk Be Ordered in the Middle of an At-Bat?
Yes.
The manager does not have to decide before the first pitch.
MLB allows the manager to signal a no-pitch intentional walk at any point during a plate appearance.
For example, suppose a dangerous hitter reaches a 3-0 count.
The defense can begin the plate appearance normally and then decide it no longer wants to continue pitching to him.
The manager can signal the intentional walk, and the batter is awarded first base immediately.
The same rule applies even if the count has reached two strikes.
Can You Intentionally Walk a Batter With First Base Occupied?
Yes.
Intentional walks occur most often when first base is open, but MLB’s official glossary explicitly notes that they can also occur with first base occupied.
If the batter being awarded first creates a force, the appropriate runners advance.
That means an intentional walk can even be issued with the bases loaded.
It’s extremely unusual because doing so deliberately allows a run to score—but it is legal.
Real Example: Corey Seager Was Intentionally Walked With the Bases Loaded
One of the clearest demonstrations occurred on April 15, 2022.
Angels manager Joe Maddon intentionally walked Rangers star Corey Seager with:
- The bases loaded
- One out
- Texas already leading
The intentional walk forced home a run.
According to MLB, Seager became only the third hitter since 1950 to receive a bases-loaded intentional walk.
Maddon’s reasoning was that he preferred to avoid the potential larger damage from Seager and face the hitters behind him.
The Rangers ultimately scored three runs in the inning, although the Angels came back to win the game 9-6.
This is an extreme example, but it demonstrates an important rule point:
An intentional walk is legal even when first base is occupied or the bases are loaded.
Whether doing so is strategically wise is a different question.
Intentional Walk vs. Pitching Around a Batter
These terms are related but not identical.
An intentional walk is an official decision to award the batter first base.
Pitching around a hitter means the pitcher still throws pitches but avoids giving the batter attractive pitches to hit.
The pitcher may be willing to accept a walk, but an out is still possible.
For example, a hitter might:
- Chase a pitch outside the strike zone.
- Make weak contact.
- Strike out.
- Eventually receive four balls.
So:
IBB = deliberately award first base
Pitch around = pitch cautiously while keeping the plate appearance active
That distinction matters statistically as well. MLB tracks intentional walks separately as IBB.
How Is an Intentional Walk Scored?
For the batter, an intentional walk:
- Counts as a plate appearance.
- Does not count as an at-bat.
- Counts as a walk.
- Is recorded as an IBB.
- Contributes to reaching base and therefore on-base percentage.
For the pitcher, it is recorded as a walk allowed and an intentional walk allowed.
If the no-pitch procedure is used, no actual pitch is added to the pitcher’s pitch count.
This is why a box score can show an intentional walk even though the pitcher never delivered a pitch during that plate appearance.
Does the Pitch Clock Change Intentional Walks?
The modern pitch timer does not eliminate or fundamentally change the no-pitch intentional walk.
If the manager elects the no-pitch procedure, there is no pitch to time—the batter is simply awarded first base.
If the team instead continues to throw actual pitches, those pitches remain subject to the normal rules governing live plate appearances.
Why Do Teams Use Intentional Walks?
The basic reasons include avoiding a particularly dangerous hitter, creating a force-play opportunity or obtaining a more favorable matchup against the next batter.
MLB’s official glossary specifically identifies hitter quality, the next hitter and double-play possibilities as common strategic considerations.
But whether an intentional walk actually improves a team’s chances is a much more complicated question.
Giving away first base increases the offense’s baserunner advantage, so the decision depends on factors such as:
- Outs
- Score
- Inning
- Base state
- Current hitter
- Next hitter
- Pitcher matchup
- Run expectancy
- Win probability
That strategy is better treated separately from the rule itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can MLB teams still intentionally walk a batter?
Yes. Intentional walks remain legal and are recorded as IBB.
Does the pitcher have to throw four balls?
No.
Since 2017, the defensive manager can signal the intentional walk to the home-plate umpire, who awards the batter first base without a pitch being thrown.
Can the catcher request the automatic intentional walk?
The MLB no-pitch procedure specifies the manager as the person who signals the intentional walk to the umpire. MLB’s explanation of the 2017 change explicitly stated that players cannot initiate it.
Can a manager intentionally walk a batter after pitches have already been thrown?
Yes.
The manager can elect the intentional walk at any count during the plate appearance.
Can a batter refuse an intentional walk?
No. Once the manager elects the no-pitch IBB and the umpire awards first base, the batter is entitled to first base under the procedure.
Can you intentionally walk a batter with the bases loaded?
Yes.
Corey Seager received a bases-loaded intentional walk in 2022, forcing home a run. MLB identified him as the third hitter since 1950 to receive one.
Can teams still use the old four-pitch method?
Yes.
When MLB introduced the no-pitch procedure, it clarified that managers could still choose to have pitchers throw the intentional balls instead.
Does an automatic intentional walk count toward the pitcher’s pitch count?
No pitch is delivered, so there are no pitches to add to the pitch count. The pitcher is still charged statistically with the intentional walk.