MLB Officially Announces Rule Changes

[SteveA]

That we have been talking about for months:

 

THREE-BATTER MINIMUM:

The Official Baseball Rules have been amended to require the starting or any relief pitcher to pitch to a minimum of three batters, including the batter then at bat (or any substitute batter), until such batters are put out or reach base, or until the offensive team is put out, unless the substitute pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the umpire crew chief’s judgment, incapacitates him from further play as a pitcher. The three-batter minimum will become effective in 2020 Spring Training beginning on Thursday, March 12.

ACTIVE ROSTER LIMITS:

ROSTERS THROUGH AUG. 31 AND POSTSEASON -- Active Roster limits from Opening Day through Aug. 31 and including Postseason games shall be increased from 25 to 26. In addition, Clubs will be permitted to carry a maximum of 13 pitchers from Opening Day through Aug. 31 (plus Postseason games).

SEPTEMBER ROSTERS -- From Sept. 1 through the end of the Championship Season (including any tiebreaker games), all Clubs must carry 28 players on the Active Roster. In addition, Clubs will be permitted to carry a maximum of 14 pitchers during this period.

TWO-WAY PLAYER DESIGNATION -- Players who qualify as “Two-Way Players” may appear as pitchers during a game without counting toward a Clubs’ pitcher limitations. A player will qualify as a “Two-Way Player” only if he accrues both: (i) at least 20 Major League innings pitched; and (ii) at least 20 Major League games started (as a position player or designated hitter) with at least three plate appearances in each of those games, in either the current Championship Season or the prior Championship Season (for 2020 only, this will include 2019 as well as 2018). The Club must designate that player as a “Two-Way Player” in advance of that game. Once a Club designates a qualified “Two-Way Player” that designation will remain in effect, and cannot change, for the remainder of that Championship Season and Postseason.

POSITION PLAYERS PITCHING -- Any player may appear as a pitcher following the 9th inning of an extra-inning game, or in any game in which his team is losing or winning by more than six runs when the player enters as a pitcher.

EXTRA PLAYER RULE -- The previous “26th player rule” will be replaced with the “27th player rule” for all applicable Championship Season games prior to Sept. 1. The 27th player shall not count toward any pitcher roster limits described above. Thus, a Club may designate 14 pitchers in games under circumstances where the Major League Rules would permit a 27th Active player.

 

INJURED LIST REINSTATEMENTS AND OPTION PERIOD FOR PITCHERS:

Clubs may not reinstate pitchers or Two-Way Players from the Injured List until 15 days have elapsed from the date of the initial placement for such injury – an increase from 10 days. In addition, the option period for pitchers will be lengthened from 10 days to 15 days.

REDUCTION IN CHALLENGE TIME:

Managers will now have up to 20 seconds to challenge a play instead of 30.

[weams]

 

[SteveA]

So designating a guy a 2 way player (like Ohtani) has positive and negative aspects:

  Positive:  You can get around the 13 pitcher limit by having 13 pitchers plus one or more 2-way players.

  Negative:  A player designated a 2 way player stays that way all season and if he ever goes on the DL (or is optioned), the minimum stay is 15 days rather than 10.

[mdbdotcom]

Also, cheating is allowed unless it works and you're caught by the media.

[PaulFolk]

I asked this on Twitter, but what's the rule if a pitcher comes in and gets the last out of an inning (one batter faced), and then starts the next inning? Is he required to face two more batters, or can he be taken out at any time because he finished the previous inning? Anyone know?

[Frobby]

5 minutes ago, PaulFolk said:

I asked this on Twitter, but what's the rule if a pitcher comes in and gets the last out of an inning (one batter faced), and then starts the next inning? Is he required to face two more batters, or can he be taken out at any time because he finished the previous inning? Anyone know?

I wonder if Rob Manfred knows.   

[HowAboutThat]

In other news, MLB officially announces that Manfred is an idiot.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Philip

[SteveA]

16 minutes ago, PaulFolk said:

I asked this on Twitter, but what's the rule if a pitcher comes in and gets the last out of an inning (one batter faced), and then starts the next inning? Is he required to face two more batters, or can he be taken out at any time because he finished the previous inning? Anyone know?

Seems pretty clear.  He has to stay in until he has faced 3 batters or until the end of the inning.  So once the inning ends the requirement has been fulfilled.  He can be relieved.

[Dr Dave]

2 hours ago, PaulFolk said:

I asked this on Twitter, but what's the rule if a pitcher comes in and gets the last out of an inning (one batter faced), and then starts the next inning? Is he required to face two more batters, or can he be taken out at any time because he finished the previous inning? Anyone know?

Here's an interesting variation on that ... Suppose it is a N.L. game - said pitcher comes in and retires the last batter.  The pitcher happens to be the leadoff hitter in the next inning.  Even though he only faced one batter, would you want to legislate away his manager's option to pinch-hit for him?

I would think that once the side has been retired, that should complete the pitcher's obligation for batters faced.

[InsideCoroner]

I’ll be curious to see how many relievers get “injured” before they face three batters once the matchups are no longer in their favor. I expect there might be a few more blisters or ankle sprains than normal. 

[sportsfan8703]

Max of 14 pitchers in September. That hurts us. 

[$Greatness$]

15 hours ago, Philip said:

In other news, MLB officially announces that Manfred is an idiot.

Manfraud is the biggest of idiots. Glad Bauer spazzed on his goofy self.

[DrungoHazewood]

17 hours ago, SteveA said:

So designating a guy a 2 way player (like Ohtani) has positive and negative aspects:

  Positive:  You can get around the 13 pitcher limit by having 13 pitchers plus one or more 2-way players.

  Negative:  A player designated a 2 way player stays that way all season and if he ever goes on the DL (or is optioned), the minimum stay is 15 days rather than 10.

Ohtani will probably be the only two-way player for a long time.

[DrungoHazewood]

5 hours ago, InsideCoroner said:

I’ll be curious to see how many relievers get “injured” before they face three batters once the matchups are no longer in their favor. I expect there might be a few more blisters or ankle sprains than normal. 

If there's more than one or two they'll just clarify the rule that says you have to go on the DL (sorry, IL) if you come out for injury.

[TommyPickles]

10 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Ohtani will probably be the only two-way player for a long time.