When the ball is dead, what can the defense do to cause a player to be put out?

When the ball is dead, the defense has limited options for causing a player to be put out. The correct understanding is that the only way the defense can put a player out during a dead ball situation is through a dead-ball appeal. A dead ball is one where play has stopped, such as after the ball is caught or an infraction has occurred.

In this context, a dead-ball appeal allows the defense to assert that a base runner has committed an infraction (such as failing to touch a base), and if that appeal is upheld, the runner can be declared out. This differs from other scenarios such as catching a fly ball, tagging a runner, or making a pick-off throw, all of which require the ball to be live and in play.