fielder's choice

American  

noun

Baseball.

1. a fielder's attempt to put out a base runner rather than the batter when a play at first base would put out the batter.

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Etymology

Origin of fielder's choice

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05

Example Sentences

Shortstop Mookie Betts played in his first spring training game Sunday, reaching on a fielder’s choice and grounding out in two at-bats while scoring a run in the Dodgers’ 4-3 win over the Angels at Camelback Ranch.

From Los Angeles Times

The Dodgers tacked on two more insurance runs in the eighth, the last scoring when Smith grounded into a fielder’s choice.

From Los Angeles Times

And, after George Springer grounded into a fielder’s choice, brought Roberts trudging back out to the mound.

From Los Angeles Times

Milwaukee loaded the bases after that but Joey Ortiz grounded into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

From Barron's

The Dodgers’ rally had been built around a double that should have been a single, a run-scoring fielder’s choice that barely passed the mound, a walk and Smith’s one-hop single to left, the hardest-hit ball of the inning.

From Los Angeles Times