Professional baseball starts its 2023 season today with a full slate of games all over the country.
While Major League Baseball’sOpening Dayis a longstanding tradition, the game looks a bit different this year.
New rules taking effect this season make big changes to pitching, hitting and baserunning.
Learn all about the new MLB rule changes this year and how they have been implemented.
What are the new rules in Major League Baseball for 2023?
How does the new MLB pitch clock work?
If a pitcher does not start to throw before the timer ends, a ball will be called.
This year’s spring training showed a similar decrease in the average game length.
MLB preseason games this year were26 minutes shorteron average than last year.
The MLB pitch clock also brings a new pickoff rule with it.
Pitchers are limited to only two “disengagements from the mound” per batter.
That means a pitcher can only venture to pick off the runner or step off the rubber twice.
The new limit on the number of allowed pickoff attempts is likely to encourage more base stealing.
In 2023 spring training, there were40% more stolen base attemptscompared to 2022.
How is MLB changing the size of bases in baseball games?
Home plate remains the same size.
The main reason for bigger bases is safety.
The larger area gives fielders and runners more room to share the base without crushing each other’s feet.
The distance from home plate to first and third base to home is now 3 inches shorter.
Why is the MLB banning the defensive shift?
In recent years, a baseball tactic called the defensive shift has been increasingly adopted around Major League Baseball.
Those four infielders must also be standing with both feet on the infield dirt.
Teams can still bring in an extra outfielder to have five infielders.
What about the ghost runner in extra innings and other rules?
Beginning in the 10th inning, each team starts with a runner on second base.
MLB is tightening the restrictions on position players pitching, too.
