What must occur for a player to be called out during a dead ball?

For a player to be called out during a dead ball, a dead-ball appeal must be made. In situations where the ball is declared dead, normal play ceases, and any standard outs that would typically occur cannot happen. However, a dead-ball appeal provides a mechanism for the defense to request a ruling from the umpire regarding a specific situation that may have occurred while the ball was dead. This allows the defensive team to still potentially register an out under certain circumstances, such as when a runner has failed to touch a base or has left a base while the ball was dead. This process is crucial because it maintains the fairness of the game by allowing teams to address infractions that may have occurred during an otherwise inactive period.