What is sacrifice bunts?

Sacrifice bunts, also known as sacrifice hits or sacrifice bunt hits, are strategic plays in baseball where the batter deliberately hits the ball softly to advance a runner at the cost of an out.

The purpose of a sacrifice bunt is to advance a runner from one base to the next without the batter getting on base. The batter bunts the ball in play, usually down the first or third base line, and the fielder fields the ball and throws it to first base, retiring the batter but moving the runner into scoring position.

Sacrifice bunts are most commonly used in situations where a team has a runner on first or second base with less than two outs and is looking to move that runner into scoring position for the next batter. The sacrifice bunt is also frequently used in late-game situations where a team is willing to trade an out for a run to secure a win.

Sacrifice bunts are considered to be a team-oriented play that prioritizes advancing runners and scoring runs over individual statistics. They are often employed by batters with good bunting skills, particularly those who are not big home run hitters.

Sacrifice bunts have become less common in recent years as hitters have focused more on power hitting and the importance of on-base percentage. However, they remain a valuable tool in certain situations for teams looking to manufacture runs.