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 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 which also determines who is eligible to play for a team in the playoffs and World Seriestie-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 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 negotiated with the Major League [Baseball Players Association], the provision in the Basic Agreement "shall in all respects control".

2019 edition

Source:
  1. Circuits
  2. Player Limits and Reserve Lists
  3. Eligibility to Sign Contracts, Contract Terms and Contract Tenders
  4. First Year Player Draft
  5. Annual Selection of Players
  6. Selected Players
  7. Termination of Player-Club Relation
  8. Major League Unconditional Release
  9. Assignment of Player Contracts
  10. Major League Waivers
  11. Optional Agreements
  12. Transfer Agreements
  13. Suspended Players
  14. Retired Players
  15. Restricted, Disqualified and Ineligible Lists
  16. Reinstatement of Players
  17. Player Salaries
  18. Playing Otherwise than for Club
  19. Umpires and Official scorers
  20. Conflicting Interests
  21. Misconduct
  22. :*a) Misconduct in Playing Baseball
  23. :*b) Gift for Defeating Competing Club
  24. :*c) Gifts to Umpires
  25. :*d) Gambling
  26. :*:#Betting on other baseball teams
  27. :*:#Betting on own team
  28. :*:#Using an illegal bookmaker
  29. :*e) Violence or Misconduct
  30. :*f) Other Misconduct
  31. :*g) No Discrimination
  32. :*h) Rule to be kept posted
  33. Claim Presentation
  34. Holidays
  35. Suspended Personnel
  36. Uniform Playing Rules
  37. :*a) Official Baseball Rules
  38. :*b) Playing Rules Committee
  39. :*c) Duties of Playing Rules Committee
  40. :*d) Official Scoring Rules Committee
  41. :*e) Duties of Official Scoring Rules Committee
  42. :*f) Copyright and Publication
  43. Gate Receipts
  44. reserved
  45. Voting
  46. Major League Disaster Plan
  47. Finances
  48. Bulletins
  49. Schedules
  50. Qualification for Post-Season Series
  51. :*a) Division Champions
  52. :*b) Wild Card
  53. :*c) Tie-Breaking Procedures
  54. Post-Season Series
  55. :*a) Wild Card Game
  56. :*b) Division Series
  57. :*c) League Championship Series
  58. :*d) World Series
  59. Post-Season Supervision by the Commissioner
  60. Pennant and Memento
  61. Post-Season Schedule
  62. Post-Season Series Termination
  63. Post-Season Playing Rules
  64. Players Eligible for Post-Season
  65. reserved
  66. Post-Season Expenses
  67. Post-Season Playing Grounds
  68. Post-Season Admissions
  69. Division of Post-Season Receipts
  70. Bonus Forbidden
  71. Exhibition Games
  72. Obligations of Participants
  73. reserved
  74. Enforcement of Major League Rules
  75. Classification of Minor Leagues
  76. Major and Minor League Territorial Rights
  77. Minor League Expansion, Contraction, Relocation and Reclassification
  78. Regulation of Minor League Franchises
  79. Minor League Free Agency
  80. Standard Player Development Contract
  81. Travel Standards for Minor League Clubs
  82. Standards for Minor League Playing Facilities
  83. Lien on Territory
  84. Definitions
  85. :*a) Major League
  86. :*b) Major League Club
  87. :*c) Major League Player
  88. :*d) Minor League Association
  89. :*e) Minor League
  90. :*f) Minor League Club
  91. :*g) Club
  92. :*h) Minor League Player
  93. :*i) First-Year Player
  94. :*j) Commissioner
  95. :*k) President of a Minor League Association
  96. :*l) Major League Reserve List
  97. :*m) Minor League Reserve List
  98. :*n) Major League Active List
  99. :*o) Minor League Active List
  100. :*p) Championship Season
  101. :*q) Player Development Contract
  102. :*r) Independent Minor League Club
  103. :*s) Inactive Lists
  104. :*t) Winter League
  105. :*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 :
  • 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:
  1. Reserve Lists
  2. Player Limits
  3. Eligibility to Sign Contracts, Contract Terms and Contract Tenders
  4. First Year Player Draft
  5. Annual Selection of Players
  6. Assignment of Player Contracts
  7. Optional Agreements
  8. Major League Waivers
  9. Termination of Player-Club Relation
  10. Bulletins
  11. Player Salaries
  12. Playing Otherwise than for Club
  13. Claim Presentation
  14. Suspended Personnel
  15. Umpires
  16. Official scorers
  17. Uniform Playing Rules
  18. :*a) Official Baseball Rules
  19. :*b) Playing Rules Committee
  20. :*c) Duties of Playing Rules Committee
  21. :*d) Official Scoring Rules Committee
  22. :*e) Duties of Official Scoring Rules Committee
  23. :*f) Copyright and Publication
  24. Schedules
  25. :*a) Major Leagues
  26. :*b) Minor Leagues
  27. Major League Disaster Plan
  28. Conflicting Interests
  29. Misconduct
  30. :*a) Misconduct in Playing Baseball
  31. :*b) Gift for Defeating Competing Club
  32. :*c) Gifts to Umpires
  33. :*d) Gambling
  34. :*:#Betting on other baseball teams
  35. :*:#Betting on own team
  36. :*:#Using an illegal bookmaker
  37. :*e) Violence or Misconduct
  38. :*f) Other Misconduct
  39. :*g) No Discrimination
  40. :*h) Rule to be kept posted
  41. Circuits
  42. Gate Receipts
  43. reserved
  44. Finances
  45. Major and Minor League Territorial Rights
  46. Classification of Minor Leagues
  47. :* actual content is "Standards For Minor League Playing Facilities"
  48. reserved
  49. reserved
  50. reserved
  51. reserved
  52. reserved
  53. Lien on Territory
  54. Qualification for Post-Season Series
  55. :*a) Division Champions
  56. :*b) Wild Card
  57. :*c) Tie-Breaking Procedures
  58. Post-Season Series
  59. :*a) Wild Card Game
  60. :*b) Division Series
  61. :*c) League Championship Series
  62. :*d) World Series
  63. Post-Season Supervision by the Commissioner
  64. Pennant and Memento
  65. Post-Season Schedule
  66. Post-Season Series Termination
  67. Post-Season Playing Rules
  68. Players Eligible for Post-Season
  69. Post-Season Expenses
  70. Post-Season Playing Grounds
  71. Post-Season Admissions
  72. Division of Post-Season Receipts
  73. Bonus Forbidden
  74. Exhibition Games
  75. Obligations of Participants
  76. Holidays
  77. 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 :
  • 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.
  1. Reserve Lists
  2. Player Limits
  3. Eligibility to Sign Contract, Contract Terms and Contract Tenders
  4. First-Year Player Draft
  5. Annual Selection of Players
  6. Assignment of Player Contracts
  7. Optional Agreements
  8. Major League Waivers
  9. Termination of Player-Club Relation
  10. Bulletins
  11. Player Salaries
  12. Playing Otherwise Than for Club
  13. Claim Presentation
  14. Suspended Personnel
  15. Umpires
  16. Official scorers
  17. Uniform Playing Rules
  18. :*a) Playing Rules
  19. :*b) Scoring Rules
  20. :*c) Copyright and Publication
  21. Schedules
  22. :*a) Major Leagues
  23. :*b) Minor Leagues
  24. Major League Disaster Plan
  25. Conflicting Interests
  26. Misconduct
  27. :*a) Misconduct in Playing Baseball
  28. :*b) Gift for Defeating Competing Club
  29. :*c) Gifts to Umpires
  30. :*d) Gambling
  31. :*e) Violence or Misconduct
  32. :*f) Other Misconduct
  33. :*g) No Discrimination
  34. :*h) Rule to be Kept Posted
  35. Circuits
  36. Gate Receipts
  37. Reserved
  38. Finances
  39. Major and Minor League Territorial Rights
  40. Standards for Minor League Playing Facilities
  41. Reserved
  42. Reserved
  43. Reserved
  44. Reserved
  45. Reserved
  46. Lien on Territory
  47. Qualification for Postseason Series
  48. :*a) Division Champions
  49. :*b) Wild Cards
  50. :*c) Tie-Breaking Procedures
  51. :*d) Order of Application of Tie-Breaking Procedures
  52. Postseason Format
  53. :*a) Qualifications for Postseason
  54. :*b) Postseason League Seedings
  55. :*c) Wild Card Series
  56. :*d) Division Series
  57. :*e) League Championship Series
  58. :*f) World Series
  59. Postseason Supervision by the Commissioner
  60. Pennant and Memento
  61. Postseason Schedule
  62. Postseason Series Termination
  63. Postseason Playing Rules
  64. Players Eligible for Postseason
  65. Postseason Expenses
  66. Postseason Playing Grounds
  67. Postseason Admissions
  68. Division of Postseason Receipts
  69. Bonus Forbidden
  70. Exhibition Games
  71. Obligations of Participants
  72. Holidays
  73. 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 :
  • 3—Dominican Summer League Uniform Player Contract
  • 12—Notice to Player of Release or Transfer
  • 26—Major and Minor League Territories