Major League Baseball and the MLB Players’ Association reached an agreement Monday night on health and safety protocols that will help them navigate through a second straight pandemic season. The agreement also includes the renewal of two gameplay rules from the 2020 season: seven-inning doubleheaders and starting each extra inning with a runner on second base.
Nearly one-quarter of all Marlins games last year were part of doubleheaders. The innings reduction greatly benefited the Fish, minimizing the influence of their vulnerable bullpen en route to posting a 10-4 record in such games (21-25 record in all other games).