Playing in

Regarding baseball, “playing in” refers to a defensive strategy in which the infielders position themselves closer to home plate than they would normally be. It is common practice for the defense to use this positioning when they anticipate a bunt or need to make a play at home plate. This is especially true in games that are close or when there is a runner on third base with fewer than two outs. To get a runner out at home or have a better chance of fielding a softly hit ball quickly, the objective is to shorten the distance that infielders have to throw to accomplish either of these actions. As a result of “playing in,” the defense has a better chance of preventing a run from scoring; however, it also raises the possibility that a batted ball will get past the infielders and result in a hit because of the decreased reaction time.