Perdomo Safe From a Base Path Call Out in Arizona

As Orioles SS Gunnar Henderson fielded a 5th inning infield ground ball of the bat of Arizona's Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks baserunner R1 Geraldo Perdomo veered onto the grass to try and avoid Henderson's eventual tag, ruled safe by 2B Umpire Tom Hanahan and upheld via Replay Review after an Orioles challenge by manager Brandon Hyde.

Perdomo later scored on Cedric Mullins' RBI single off of Baltimore pitcher Jack Flaherty.

With the knowledge that the only reviewable aspect of this play pertained to the physical tag attempt, we answer your questions regarding the other, unreviewable part—Hanahan's out of the base path no call (safe) on Perdomo as the runner attempted to evade the fielder.

Official Baseball Rule 5.09(b)(1) describes the condition upon which a runner is out for a base path violation: "Official Baseball Rule 5.09(b)(1): "Any runner is out when they run more than three feet away from their base path to avoid being tagged unless their action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner’s base path is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base they are attempting to reach safely."

As we have discussed in prior videos, a runner establishes their own base path, which is separate and distinct from a baseline (defined as a direct line between consecutive bases). Furthermore, a runner's base path is not established until the tag attempt occurs (begins) and the runner is restricted by the three-foot provision in OBR 5.09(b)(1) until the runner arrives at the next (or previous) base, the fielder loses possession of the ball (e.g., by throwing it or dropping it), or the fielder stops the tag attempt (e.g., to play on another runner).

Replays indicate baserunner R1 Perdomo, coincidentally, appeared to be positioned within the baseline as F6 Henderson fielded the baseball and ran more than three feet away to avoid the fielder's tag, which satisfies the criteria for an out of the base path call.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Perdomo slides onto infield grass to avoid tag - was he out of the base path?