Subject to ratification by the 30 MLB teams, there are going to be a bunch of rule changes instituted this year and next.

Trade Deadline: The August waiver trade period will be eliminated. The July 31 Trade Deadline will be the only deadline. Players may still be placed and claimed on outright waivers after July 31, but trades will no longer be permitted after that date.

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Three-batter minimum for pitchers: Rule 5.10(g) will be amended to require that starting pitchers and relief pitchers must pitch to either a minimum of three batters or to the end of a half-inning, with exceptions for incapacitating injury or illness. This will effectively end the so-called “LOOGY” (left-handed one-out guy) and other specialist roles in which pitchers are brought in for one very specific matchup.

The trade deadline change will take place this year while the three-batter minimum will go into effect in 2020 if/when the clubs ratify the deal.

Source: Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com

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2 comments on “Rule changes coming this year and next

  • Name

    I like the August trades change.

    The minimum batter rule change is utterly horrific and a complete overreach of authority. It’s a dangerous precedent because it will most likely lead to shift banning. There should be no rules pertaining to the strategy of the game, only the structure and format. The players and coaches are the ones that need to adapt to the changing philosophies, not the rules.

    • Brian Joura

      It used to be in the NBA that you could only call a 20-second timeout due to injury. Then players got too good at faking injuries so that they said you could call that timeout any time. I wonder if lefty relievers will start coming down with injuries so they can be removed before the 3-batter limit…

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