Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic has been following the ongoing discussion between the MLBPA and Major League Baseball as the two sides try to come to an agreement regarding rule changes for the 2019 season and beyond. As Rosenthal states, “If no agreement is reached, the collective bargaining agreement empowers Manfred to unilaterally implement three elements he formally proposed last year”. Per Rosenthal’s sources, those elements are:
- 20 second pitch clock
- 5 mound visits versus 6
- Runner starts on 2nd base in spring training games and all-star games after 10th inning
Last Friday, the MLBPA responded to Manfred’s proposal with a proposal of their own which included some interesting rule changes aimed to improve the game and the lacking competitiveness that has engulfed almost a third of the league.