When a ball leaves the pitcher’s hand and reaches the batter, it takes only about 0.4 seconds. In that split second, the batter has to swing the bat and hit the ball. Because the ball moves so fast and its direction is hard to predict, even experienced batters find it difficult to make solid contact.
That’s where the rule of the “foul” comes in. A foul occurs when the ball hits the bat but lands outside the designated fair zone. Normally, a foul counts as a strike, but once the batter has two strikes, fouls no longer count. Because a batter is out after three strikes, continuing to foul off pitches—even after two strikes—allows them to stay in the game and keep the at-bat alive.
In most sports, a foul is a violation of the rules. But in baseball, a foul can be another chance—an opportunity to stay in the game.
Even if it’s not a hit, doing your best to fight off an aggressive pitch can still give you another shot at the next one. And who knows? That next pitch might just be the one you hit out of the park for a home run.