The White Sox haven’t had to learn baseball’s new sliding rule the hard way, as was the case with the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros in the first week of the season. But they’re still figuring out how best to adapt to the Rule 6.01(j), which prohibits blatant takeout slides on double play balls in which the runner doesn’t make an attempt to reach second base.
The rule, itself, is fairly clear. A runner must make a “bona fide slide” into second base, which means he begins his slide before reaching the bag, is able and makes an effort to reach the base with his hand or foot, is able to stay on the base after the slide and doesn’t change his path to initiate contact with the fielder.