If a player is obstructed and subsequently falls, resulting in a dead-ball situation, what is the ruling?

When a player is obstructed during a play, it is important to recognize that the obstruction itself represents a violation of the rules that impacts the overall progress of the game. In such situations, if the player who was obstructed falls and this results in a dead-ball situation, the appropriate ruling is to award all runners bases as a remedy for the obstruction.

This ruling acknowledges the disruption caused by the obstruction, ensuring that the team affected receives some restitution for the interference in their legitimate movement on the base paths. The principle behind this is to maintain fairness and uphold the integrity of gameplay.

In contrast to the correct ruling, the other options do not appropriately address the consequences of obstruction. Allowing the play to continue without penalty or requiring runners to return to their original bases would not provide justice for the team that was hindered. Ejecting the offending player without further action does not rectify the situation for the players impacted by the obstruction. Thus, awarding all runners bases due to the obstruction is the right course of action in this scenario.