This year Major League Baseball introduced many new rules to bring more energy to baseball games such as a pitch clock, larger bases, and banning the shift.  They have been implementing new rules for years, working to lower the time of baseball games. 

 When the pitcher receives the ball, the batter has 8 seconds to step in the box and be ready. If the batter fails, a strike will automatically be called. The pitcher has 15 seconds to start his pitching motion without runners on base. With runners on base he is given 20 seconds.  If the pitcher fails to throw the ball in that period of time, an automatic ball will be given to the hitter. The pitcher may step off the mound to attempt a pickoff 3 times. If he exceeds that number of times, then the runner will be called on a balk, letting him advance bases.

During the 2022 season, the average baseball game lasted 3 hours and 1 minute. This year on Opening day,  the average ballgame was significantly down at 31 minutes shorter at 2 hours and 30 minutes according to ESPN . “Prior to the change, the pace was such that you never really lost track of the game. But the first couple of games, I’m like, ‘Can you please let me watch?’ Because you miss stuff.” According to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. The commissioner believes with a shorter length of baseball games, less time is wasted, making it more dense and exciting.

“I do think it’ll be a good game,” Cleveland Manager Terry Francona believes that it will be an adjustment but it would end up making it a good game.  Just a couple of weeks into the season, many people around the game, including fans have had all different reactions to these rule changes. “Adding the pitch clock to the game will make a nice difference speeding up the game and making it more exciting to watch.” says Blake Peters, a baseball fan. However not all reactions have been so kind, such as from Orioles hall of fame pitcher, Jim Palmer. “You paid all that money and your best hitter is called out because he’s looking at the pitcher a second or two too late.” Palmer worries that this new rule could be a deciding factor on close scored ball games.

Major League Baseball has also added other new rules to the game such as larger base sizes. With the larger base sizes, players are less likely to get injured sliding into bases. This creates more action on the basepath, producing a larger opportunity for base stealing.  It has led to a lot of positive reactions from fans. “They say that there will be a lot more base stealing which I think is kind of cool.” says teacher Ms. Kelly Ann Fransen. The shift ban prevents players from moving to the side of the field where the hitter has a high probability to hit the ball. This will result in more players getting hits every game.

Just weeks into the new Major League Baseball season, these rules have had significant impacts on the way the game works. The pitch clock has shortened the game by almost 30 minutes. There has been a large uptick in stolen bases as well as hits.