warning track

American  

noun

Baseball.

1. a strip, often consisting of a cinder or dirt track, bordering the outer edge of the outfield between the outfield turf and the stadium wall that alerts outfielders that the wall is near, especially as they back up to catch a fly ball.

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Etymology

Origin of warning track

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Defensive replacement Andy Pages crashed into Kiké Hernández on the warning track but held on to the ball, preventing the Blue Jays from scoring the walk-off run.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2025

Rookie right-hander Edgardo Henriquez flirted with disaster after that, giving up another RBI double to Jackson and a loud fly ball to Dylan Carlson that died at the warning track.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 7, 2025

Kershaw then walked off the mound alone before being mobbed by his teammates on the warning track in front of the Dodgers dugout.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2025

In the third, Murray State left fielder Dustin Mercer made an athletic catch on the warning track to rob the Bruins of a two-run hit.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2025

At that moment I hopped off the fence and ran as fast as I could along the warning track until I was well past the propeller, then I circled around to the passenger side.

From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos