Baseball Glossary › Sacrifice Fly
Sacrifice Fly (SF)
A sacrifice fly (SF) is a fly-ball out to the outfield or foul territory that lets a runner score. The batter is credited with an RBI and is not charged with an at-bat, so a sac fly does not lower batting average. It does count as a plate appearance and lowers on-base percentage.
What to Know
The sacrifice fly is kept separate from the sacrifice bunt. Both are not at-bats under the Official Baseball Rules, but they treat on-base percentage differently: sacrifice flies are in the OBP denominator, while sacrifice bunts are left out entirely. That is why a sac fly can lower OBP but never batting average.
Because a sac fly is a plate appearance but not an at-bat, it is one of the outcomes that separates the two counts. The batter also earns a run batted in because his out produced the run.
MLB's glossary notes that if an outfielder drops the ball for an error but the scorer judges the runner would have scored on a catch, the batter is still credited with a sacrifice fly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SF mean in baseball?
SF stands for sacrifice fly. It is credited when a batter hits a fly-ball out to the outfield or foul territory and a runner scores on the play, usually by tagging up from third base.
Is a sacrifice fly an RBI?
Yes. The batter who hits a sacrifice fly is credited with a run batted in, because his fly ball produced the run even though he was put out.
Does a sacrifice fly count as an at-bat?
No. Under the Official Baseball Rules no time at bat is charged when a player hits a sacrifice fly, so it does not lower his batting average. It does count as a plate appearance.
Does a sacrifice fly hurt on-base percentage?
Yes. Sacrifice flies are included in the on-base percentage denominator along with at-bats, walks and hit-by-pitches, so a sac fly lowers OBP slightly even though it does not affect batting average.
What is the difference between a sacrifice fly and a sacrifice bunt?
A sacrifice fly is a fly-ball out that scores a run and earns an RBI. A sacrifice bunt is a bunt that advances a runner while the batter is put out. Neither is an at-bat, but only the sac fly counts in OBP.
Is it a sacrifice fly if the outfielder drops the ball?
It can be. MLB's glossary says that if the ball is dropped for an error but the scorer judges the runner would have scored on a catch, the batter is still credited with a sacrifice fly.
Related Terms
Sources
- MLB.com Glossary: Sacrifice Fly (SF)
- MLB.com Glossary: On-base Percentage (OBP)
- Official Baseball Rules 2026 (MLB)
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