The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book

''The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book'' governs all aspects of the game of Major League Baseball beyond what happens on the field of play. There are a number of sources for these rules, but they all ultimately are sanctioned by the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball. Examples of these rules are the Rule 5 draft (so-named for the applicable section of the rule book) and the injured list.
Other examples include:
* the ''5/10 Rule'' whereby players who have been with a club for 5 consecutive years and have been a major league player for 10 years cannot be traded without their consent.
* the ''roster list'' rules (active and expanded rosters) which also determines who is eligible to play for a team in the playoffs and World Series
* ''tie-breaking'' rules for deciding which teams go to the playoffs
* implementing/enforcing the ''expanded playing rules'' issued to umpires which goes into much greater detail than the official baseball rules of play. These rules are described in the ''Umpire's Manual''.

Rules Book

''The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book'' is organized into the following sections:
* Major League Constitution
*Major League Rules
*Professional Baseball Agreement
*Basic Agreement

Major League Rules

The below sections enumerate the numbered Major League Rules, both before and after Major League Baseball reorganized the minor leagues in advance of the 2021 season, as multiple rules were changed at that time. With the elimination of one-game playoffs in 2022, the tiebreaker rules were significantly modified, since all ties are now resolved by formula. The revised tiebreaker rules appear in the 2024 edition described below.

As most rules do not state what the penalty is for a violation, broad discretion is granted to the Commissioner of Baseball via Rule 50, "Enforcement of Major League Rules", which specifies "action consistent with the commissioner’s powers under the Major League Constitution".

The Major League Rules begin with a note stating that whenever a provision of any of its rules conflicts with a provision in the Basic Agreement (collective bargaining agreement) negotiated with the Major League Baseball Players Association, the provision in the Basic Agreement "shall in all respects control".

2019 edition

Source:

#Circuits
#Player Limits and Reserve Lists
#Eligibility to Sign Contracts, Contract Terms and Contract Tenders
#First Year Player Draft
#Annual Selection of Players (known as the Rule 5 draft)
#Selected Players
#Termination of Player-Club Relation
#Major League Unconditional Release
#Assignment of Player Contracts
#Major League Waivers
#Optional Agreements
#Transfer Agreements
#Suspended Players
#Retired Players
#Restricted, Disqualified and Ineligible Lists
#Reinstatement of Players
#Player Salaries (governed by the Basic Agreement)
#Playing Otherwise than for Club
#Umpires and Official scorers
#Conflicting Interests
#Misconduct
#:*a) Misconduct in Playing Baseball (throwing games)
#:*b) Gift for Defeating Competing Club
#:*c) Gifts to Umpires
#:*d) Gambling
#:*:#Betting on other baseball teams (1 year ineligible)
#:*:#Betting on own team (permanently ineligible)
#:*:#Using an illegal bookmaker (Commissioner decides penalty)
#:*e) Violence or Misconduct (judgement of Commissioner)
#:*f) Other Misconduct
#:*g) No Discrimination
#:*h) Rule to be kept posted (in English and Spanish in every clubhouse)
#Claim Presentation
#Holidays
#Suspended Personnel
#Uniform Playing Rules
#:*a) Official Baseball Rules
#:*b) Playing Rules Committee
#:*c) Duties of Playing Rules Committee
#:*d) Official Scoring Rules Committee
#:*e) Duties of Official Scoring Rules Committee
#:*f) Copyright and Publication
#Gate Receipts
#''reserved''
#Voting
#Major League Disaster Plan
#Finances
#Bulletins
#Schedules (to be issued by commissioner)
#Qualification for Post-Season Series
#:*a) Division Champions
#:*b) Wild Card
#:*c) Tie-Breaking Procedures
#Post-Season Series
#:*a) Wild Card Game
#:*b) Division Series
#:*c) League Championship Series
#:*d) World Series
#Post-Season Supervision by the Commissioner
#Pennant and Memento
#Post-Season Schedule
#Post-Season Series Termination
#Post-Season Playing Rules (use home team's rules)
#Players Eligible for Post-Season
#''reserved''
#Post-Season Expenses
#Post-Season Playing Grounds
#Post-Season Admissions
#Division of Post-Season Receipts
#Bonus Forbidden
#Exhibition Games
#Obligations of Participants
#''reserved''
#Enforcement of Major League Rules
#Classification of Minor Leagues
#Major and Minor League Territorial Rights
#Minor League Expansion, Contraction, Relocation and Reclassification
#Regulation of Minor League Franchises
#Minor League Free Agency
#Standard Player Development Contract
#Travel Standards for Minor League Clubs
#Standards for Minor League Playing Facilities
#Lien on Territory
#Definitions
#:*a) Major League
#:*b) Major League Club
#:*c) Major League Player
#:*d) Minor League Association
#:*e) Minor League
#:*f) Minor League Club
#:*g) Club
#:*h) Minor League Player
#:*i) First-Year Player
#:*j) Commissioner
#:*k) President of a Minor League Association
#:*l) Major League Reserve List
#:*m) Minor League Reserve List
#:*n) Major League Active List
#:*o) Minor League Active List
#:*p) Championship Season
#:*q) Player Development Contract (PDC)
#:*r) Independent Minor League Club
#:*s) Inactive Lists
#:*t) Winter League
#:*u) Major League Trade Deadline

The Rules are followed by an ''Acceptance''; "The foregoing ... have been duly accepted by the Major League Clubs and the Leagues of the National Association."

There are then ''Attachments'' to the Rules (numbers refer back to Rule # above):
*3—Minor League Uniform Player Contract
*12—Notice to Player of Release or Transfer
*52—Major and Minor League Territories
*54—Standard Minor League Financial Disclosure
*56—Standard Form Letter Establishing Player Development Contract
*58—Minor League Facility Standards and Compliance Inspection Procedures

2021 edition

Source:

#Reserve Lists
#Player Limits
#Eligibility to Sign Contracts, Contract Terms and Contract Tenders
#First Year Player Draft
#Annual Selection of Players (known as the Rule 5 draft)
#Assignment of Player Contracts
#Optional Agreements
#Major League Waivers
#Termination of Player-Club Relation
#Bulletins
#Player Salaries (governed by the Basic Agreement)
#Playing Otherwise than for Club
#Claim Presentation
#Suspended Personnel
#Umpires
#Official scorers
#Uniform Playing Rules
#:*a) Official Baseball Rules
#:*b) Playing Rules Committee
#:*c) Duties of Playing Rules Committee
#:*d) Official Scoring Rules Committee
#:*e) Duties of Official Scoring Rules Committee
#:*f) Copyright and Publication
#Schedules
#:*a) Major Leagues (to be issued by commissioner)
#:*b) Minor Leagues (per Minor League Guidelines)
#Major League Disaster Plan
#Conflicting Interests
#Misconduct
#:*a) Misconduct in Playing Baseball (throwing games)
#:*b) Gift for Defeating Competing Club
#:*c) Gifts to Umpires
#:*d) Gambling
#:*:#Betting on other baseball teams (1 year ineligible)
#:*:#Betting on own team (permanently ineligible)
#:*:#Using an illegal bookmaker (Commissioner decides penalty)
#:*e) Violence or Misconduct (judgement of Commissioner)
#:*f) Other Misconduct
#:*g) No Discrimination
#:*h) Rule to be kept posted (in English and Spanish in every clubhouse)
#Circuits
#Gate Receipts
#''reserved''
#Finances
#Major and Minor League Territorial Rights
#Classification of Minor Leagues
#:* actual content is "Standards For Minor League Playing Facilities"
#''reserved''
#''reserved''
#''reserved''
#''reserved''
#''reserved''
#Lien on Territory
#Qualification for Post-Season Series
#:*a) Division Champions
#:*b) Wild Card
#:*c) Tie-Breaking Procedures
#Post-Season Series
#:*a) Wild Card Game
#:*b) Division Series
#:*c) League Championship Series
#:*d) World Series
#Post-Season Supervision by the Commissioner
#Pennant and Memento
#Post-Season Schedule
#Post-Season Series Termination
#Post-Season Playing Rules (use home team's rules)
#Players Eligible for Post-Season
#Post-Season Expenses
#Post-Season Playing Grounds
#Post-Season Admissions
#Division of Post-Season Receipts
#Bonus Forbidden
#Exhibition Games
#Obligations of Participants
#Holidays
#Enforcement of Major League Rules

The Rules are followed by an ''Acceptance''; "The foregoing ... have been duly accepted by the Major League Clubs."

There are then ''Attachments'' to the Rules (numbers refer back to Rule # above):
*3—Minor League Uniform Player Contract
*12—Notice to Player of Release or Transfer
*26—Major and Minor League Territories

2024 edition

Source:

At the top of page 1, a bolded, fully capitalized statement indicates that where the rules conflict with the currently effective basic agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association, the basic agreement controls.

#Reserve Lists
#Player Limits
#Eligibility to Sign Contract, Contract Terms and Contract Tenders
#First-Year Player Draft
#Annual Selection of Players (known as the Rule 5 draft)
#Assignment of Player Contracts
#Optional Agreements
#Major League Waivers
#Termination of Player-Club Relation
#Bulletins
#Player Salaries
#Playing Otherwise Than for Club
#Claim Presentation
#Suspended Personnel
#Umpires
#Official scorers
#Uniform Playing Rules
#:*a) Playing Rules
#:*b) Scoring Rules
#:*c) Copyright and Publication
#Schedules
#:*a) Major Leagues
#:*b) Minor Leagues
#Major League Disaster Plan
#Conflicting Interests
#Misconduct
#:*a) Misconduct in Playing Baseball
#:*b) Gift for Defeating Competing Club
#:*c) Gifts to Umpires
#:*d) Gambling
#:*e) Violence or Misconduct
#:*f) Other Misconduct
#:*g) No Discrimination
#:*h) Rule to be Kept Posted
#Circuits
#Gate Receipts
#''Reserved''
#Finances
#Major and Minor League Territorial Rights
#Standards for Minor League Playing Facilities
#''Reserved''
#''Reserved''
#''Reserved''
#''Reserved''
#''Reserved''
#Lien on Territory
#Qualification for Postseason Series
#:*a) Division Champions
#:*b) Wild Cards
#:*c) Tie-Breaking Procedures
#:*d) Order of Application of Tie-Breaking Procedures
#Postseason Format
#:*a) Qualifications for Postseason
#:*b) Postseason League Seedings
#:*c) Wild Card Series
#:*d) Division Series
#:*e) League Championship Series
#:*f) World Series
#Postseason Supervision by the Commissioner
#Pennant and Memento
#Postseason Schedule
#Postseason Series Termination
#Postseason Playing Rules
#Players Eligible for Postseason
#Postseason Expenses
#Postseason Playing Grounds
#Postseason Admissions
#Division of Postseason Receipts
#Bonus Forbidden
#Exhibition Games
#Obligations of Participants
#Holidays
#Enforcement of Major League Rules

The rules are followed by an ''Acceptance'' stating, "The foregoing Major League Rules... have been duly accepted by the Major League Clubs."

There are then numbered ''Attachments'' to the rules (numbers refer back to rule number above):
*3—Dominican Summer League Uniform Player Contract
*12—Notice to Player of Release or Transfer
*26—Major and Minor League Territories

References

External links

Home Resources Documents
from the website of the SABR Business of Baseball Committee

{{MLB, state=collapsed

Baseball rules
Sports business by sport
Contract law