Photozek07/iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Major League Baseball announced a series of rule changes that will go into effect this season in an effort to improve the pace of play on Thursday.
MLB & the MLBPA today jointly announced a series of modifications that have been approved and will be in place in the 2017 regular season: pic.twitter.com/IjVboUSCGd
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) March 2, 2017
Many of the changes had been discussed in recent weeks, but the annoncement confirms which will be implemented immediately. The most discussed rule change is a new no-pitch intentional walk, allowing managers to signal their decision to the home plate umpire and avoiding a series of wide pitches.
The league will also require managers to decide whether they want to challenge a call made on the field with thirty seconds in order to invoke an instant replay. Umpire-initiated reviews will now be allowed on non-home run calls in the eighth inning and beyond — one inning later than previously allowed.
MLB will, however, attempt to speed up those replay reviews. Under the new rules, officials would have a conditional two-minute guideline to make a decision. There will, however, be some exceptions.
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