Turn Two
Also known as: turning two, turning a double play
"Turn two" is baseball slang for successfully executing a double play. This means recording two outs on a single batted ball, most commonly a ground ball fed to a middle infielder who pivots and relays to first base.
Turning two requires three defenders to execute cleanly in sequence. This means the fielder who reads the ground ball and delivers an accurate, well-timed feed. The pivot man at second base who catches, redirects, and releases quickly. And the first baseman who receives the relay in time to beat the batter-runner. A breakdown at any point in the chain. This means a bad feed, a rushed pivot, a throw that pulls the first baseman off the bag. This means turns a double play into a single out or, worse, no outs at all.
Because it depends on a coordinated sequence rather than any one player's individual skill. This turns two reliably is treated as a team defensive strength that is drilled constantly in practice. This means feeds from shortstop and feeds from third base require different footwork and timing from the pivot man, and reps at game speed are the only way to build the trust between fielders that a fast, accurate exchange requires.
Example
With a runner on first and one out, the shortstop fielded the grounder, fed the second baseman in stride. The defense turned two to end the inning.
Why it matters
Turning two reliably is a measurable team defensive skill. This means coaches track double-play conversion rate on turnable ground balls to see whether the middle infield combination is developing chemistry.
Common mistakes
- Feeding the pivot man too hard or too soft relative to the runner's position, forcing an off-balance pivot
- Rushing the front end of the play (the initial fielding and feed) so much that the pivot man never has a clean, catchable throw
- Failing to recognize when a double play is not there and settling for the sure out at second instead of forcing a play at first that gets neither out
Frequently asked questions
Where does the phrase "turn two" come from?
It refers to turning one batted ball into two recorded outs. This means the double play. This means a shorthand baseball players and broadcasters use for the entire feed-pivot-relay sequence.
Related terms
- Double Play PivotThe double play pivot is the footwork a middle infielder uses at second base to receive a throw, redirect toward first base, and release a throw quickly. This means all. At the same time, avoiding contact with a sliding baserunner.
- Relay ThrowA relay throw breaks one impossible outfield throw into two makeable ones. This means the outfielder hits an infielder who has run out to meet the ball. That fielder turns and delivers the second leg.
- Cutoff ManThe cutoff man is the infielder who sets up in a direct line between an outfielder and the base under threat, ready to intercept the ball and redirect it if the original target is no longer the best play.
- Ball TransferBall transfer is the exchange of the ball from the glove to the throwing hand. This means speed and consistency here is one of the biggest separators in infield and catcher efficiency.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.
See a sample Baseball report first