Major League Baseball’s competition committee has unanimously passed two minor on-field rule changes for the 2025 season, reports Evan Drellich of The Athletic. The first involves defensive positioning, while the other relates to an infrequent baserunning scenario.
Regarding the defense, the rule change now allows a hitting team to accept an awarded base if a defensive player violates the shift ban and is the first player to field a batted ball. Teams are required to keep two infielders on either side of the second base bag. Previously, if a fielder violated the shift ban — likely a middle infielder starting on the opposite side of the base — the hitting team could either take an automatic ball or accept the result of the play. They’ll now be able to take the free base or the play result. If they accept the free base, any runners would move up one base. The fielder will be charged with an error, while the hitter will not be credited with an at-bat.
The change is designed to increase the penalty for teams violating the shift ban. The league felt that teams could push fielders slightly beyond the bag in hopes of getting away with a violation. The rationale would be that if the violation went unnoticed by umpires and opposing teams, the shift could result in an out. If the violation were detected, the automatic ball was unlikely to be that costly. Drellich notes that there were two shift violations that resulted in an automatic ball last season. Those would be errors under the new rule.
The baserunning rule only comes into play in very specific circumstances. If a player deliberately overruns the second or third base bag to beat out a force play, a longstanding rule is that the runner is to be called out for abandonment. Players are only really incentivized to do this if they’re the trail runner when there was a runner on third base with two outs. If they feel they’d be forced out if they slow down or slide, they may instead run through the bag. While they’d likely be tagged out a second or two later, negating the force play would allow the runner who’d been on third base to score.
Now, the replay official can determine whether the runner from third base touched home plate before the trail runner officially abandoned the bag. That’s defined as having both feet on the ground beyond the base. If the lead runner had not scored by then, the run will not count. The rule also includes an adjustment to replay review. Previously, if the umpire had incorrectly called the trail runner out on the initial force play, a successful challenge by the hitting team would call the runner safe even if the runner had gone through the bag. In that scenario, the replay official can now call the runner out by abandonment.
MLB’s competition committee is composed of six owners, four player representatives, and one umpire. The owner majority essentially gives the league unilateral power to make on-field rule adjustments. That has been to the players’ consternation in the past, though these changes are so marginal that they didn’t encounter opposition.
How about being able to challenge infield fair or foul plays?
We have too many calls down a baseline where the home plate umpire is tasked with making a call from 90 feet away, sometimes with the batter obstructing the view.
These changes seem ok.
the shift ban is outrageous
a tm should be able to field their 7 non pitchers/catchers in whatever fashion they desire. if they want all 7 to stand on 3rd base then that should be legal. and if a tm shifts their infield towards 1 side of the field, then the hitter should hit the ball the other way where there are no fielders. and if a hitter cant do that, then thats on him.
Couldn’t agree more. Some changes help, but I firmly believe there are times we need to allow the game to take care of itself. This is clearly one of those times.
I’m surprised putting a fourth player into the OF hasn’t been banned yet. After all, all of Manfred’s madness has been to help the offense, not the defense.
It IS banned – part of the shift rules are you have to have four infielders with both feet on the dirt.
Totally disagree the shift ruined the game, yeah blame hitters for not hitting the other way but having a guy ground out in short right field was boring to watch when it’s usually a hit. Too much advantage of having the pitchers pitch to the shift instead of forming an actual game plan to get the hitter out.
I’m not the first person to post this but it always struck me. When you think about it, you don’t even really need the catcher behind home plate if no runners are on base until two strikes or three balls, though he’d probably still get charged with passed balls instead of wild pitches being called. Course we’d see a rule change in season if someone tried this IRL.
Sounds like an absolutely pointless thought, no offense.
How many base hits would be bunted a foot in front of the plate? The pitcher would never get the ball back in time for the pitch clock. The umpire would have zero protection. Do I need to go on with how ridiculous that would be?
Lol, I agree with you buddy, i never said it was a good idea, this is a place to post silly things. And to be fair these jokey ideas were tossed around before these rules we have now were implemented. Nevertheless, it’s still technically possible until they outlaw it, as evidenced by the fact they felt the need to adjust the rule with being on the correct side of second base even though it only happened twice last season.
I don’t like the idea but idk – no one really bunted when there wasn’t a 3B
That is so true
No thought I was replying elsewhere
Pls read rule 5.02 of the 2024 MLB rulebook. mktg.mlbstatic.com/mlb/official-information/2024-o…
“The catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate.”
“Literally, the dropped third strike”
-DroppedThirdStrike
The best rule was outlawing the shift. You want Players to swing hard or just swinging bunts?
The banned the shift because it was lame as helium to watch a batter bat right in to it with the left side of the field completely wide open…..
It was absolutely terrible.
Swing for success!
I hear you, but at the same time, since every team employed the shift on the regular, what it ultimately did was remove a bunch of singles from the game, and that denies fans of action. Every out which would have been a hit if not for shifting is action stolen from fans. A runner on first is more exciting than having no one on and creates a much highly likelihood of scoring. So, as a fan, I’d much rather see more of those hits become singles. Especially rather see a hit than have a SS playing short right field throw a guy out by 10 feet on what would have been a line drive single to right.
@luke
every rule change has been made to promote action for fans. shift ban, pitch clock, runners in extra innings, and others. everything’s about “action”. guess what? they’ve changed the fabric of a 150 yr old game. and for every new fan manfred attracts bc of “action” he loses 5 fans bc the game is unrecognizable. when pitchers go down like flies bc pitch clock disrupts their normal routine, the game has forever been altered and not for the better. i havent watched a regular season baseball game since 2022. manfred is terrible and i’m hoping for a better future once he’s gone after the 2028 season
You sound pretty jaded, but how have you been harmed? As a fan of the game of baseball, the game being played is still baseball. Has it changed, of course, but you already know everything changes in time. You can choose to adapt to the changes and just enjoy the game, have gratitude that you have a game to watch and enjoy, or you can be a hater. Personally, I think life is too short for harboring any hate for anything, so I choose to adapt, really I choose to accept, as is the only thing a man can do when it comes to anything out of his control. Plus, what fan doesn’t want to see more action in the game?
you’re right.
lets add more action to every sport
from now on in NFL, teams start overtime immediately at their opponents 20 yard line, to add action. in NBA a 3 pointer is now worth 6 points, and if you hit a half court shot its worth 11 points. you know to add action. and in hockey, if it goes to a shootout, instead of 1 player going up against the goalie, its now 3 players vs. the goalie at the same time. you know, bc we need more action.
c’mon man. baseballs been around since the civil war. dont fix what aint broken. manfred only made these changes + extended playoffs + international games for 1 and only 1 reason. cash money $$$$$. and that type of greed i do have a problem with. bc its interfering with my enjoyment of a game i watched my whole life.
Games are quicker and promote action. Something lacking over the past 10 years where the three true outcome players became more valuable than athletic guys who hit for average and played strong defense. You see that changing now. I used to say the same thing about the shift but the analytics made it so hitting it the other way was far too improbable. Nobody wants to watch people bunt the entire game. I would be on board with increasing the pitch clock a few seconds more. The only rule change I want changed is extra innings. I’d prefer it goes back to normal but that ship has sailed. My proposal is no extra guy on in the 10th, guy on first in the 11th and guy on 2nd in the 12th. Hate the guy on 2nd because it incentivizes pitching around best hitters if the lead off the inning.
They have made a lot of changes since its origin all for the sake of money, that is what the entertainment businesses do..
at what point does mlb say “ok enough changes”? years from now are we gonna see all 30 teams in the postseason? are we gonna see all 162 games played outside the US? in korea and tokyo and london and paris and berlin and mexico city and maybe a game on the moon? are we gonna go from 9 innings to 5 innings? all for the sake of speeding up the game, adding action, attracting foreign fans for the sake of $… again, and this is a serious question, at what point do you say “enough changes”?
Why are you letting anyone else’s financial situation interfere with your enjoyment of the game? How are you harmed? Baseball has always been played for money, the only thing different now are the creative ways they are able to find new value within the game, but, again, not your concern or mine. I learned a lot about baseball by attending a game in Japan. One of the things I saw was how grateful the fans were to have a team to cheer for and a game to watch to break up the monotony of their lives, they sang, they cheered, they all brought their own noise makers, they genuinely were happy about baseball. This was near the end of the season and the home team was in last place, but no one told the fans apparently, you’d think it was a championship game. It was a great reminder of gratitude. And not complaining about the game and just enjoying it for what it is, a pastime.
Yes, there will be games on the moon. Serious question, smh.
the fans will let them know.
I am sure purists bemoaned changing the strike zone and lowering the mound after the 68 season, but the fans approved by showing up.
Playing night games probably had its detractors, TY Cobb hated Babe Ruth’s style of play, but fans loved homers so they juiced the ball.
Dont get me wrong I haven’t been a fan of Manfred’s changes, but the game trudges on because it is too great of a game for even Manfred to mess up.
John Coltrane You need a new perspective. You need to change your ungrateful mindset and see it all as glass half full or you’ll never enjoy anything. How would you feel if it all went away, forever? You’d miss it, admit the truth. You wouldn’t be on here if you didn’t care. It’s time to reset your absolutely incorrect mindset and accept. Accept that the game will continue to evolve over the rest of your life. And you’ll never be able to do anything about it, and complaining about it gets you no where, so the only thing left to do is enjoy it for what it is or you’ll miss it forever.
Shouldn’t the players union be involved? Mostly for input. I see no reason for MLB to not confer with the players! The secondbase/runner change is unecesary. It is an obscure rule, but I still don’t like it. I had always imagined a scenario, where the baserunner could chose not to slide, but force the defense to make a choice
It rarely happens, but why deny a baserunner the chance to execute this odd play
The NFL constantly changes rules and has for many years. It’s about time baseball caught on to this. The best new rule is limiting throws over to first. That should have happened years ago. And a pitch clock was also needed to keep these guys from standing around and stepping out of the box all day. The shift ban is also good. The fielders need to be positioned in their traditional areas of the field. We don’t need left-side infielders standing out in shallow right field.
Players no longer know how to hit balls where they aint.
You ever tried to control where you hit a 102 mph cutting fastball? Can’t happen.. This is not slow pitch softball we are talking about.
Dude, how many 102mph do you think players see on average?
Players have become slaves to metric stats so they swing for the fences because that is what makes for big contracts.
My favorite memory was when the Yankees were tied in the bottom of the 9th with a runner on third and Aaron Hicks was up and they shifted the entire side over for him because he was batting lefty,
They were giving the Yankees the game, all he had to do was push the ball to the left side and he didn’t do it, swang out of his shoes and hit it into the shift and they didn’t score. I hated Hicks from that moment on.
It is not that they cant do it, they wont do it.
Home run hitters have always gotten big contracts. That’s because what they do wins games more than any other offensive outcomes. Like Earl Weaver always said, games are won with pitching, fundamentals, and 3-run homers.
Big fan of them nerfing that whole running-through-second strategy. It became very popular this season and, to me, didn’t really feel like it was in the “spirit” of MLB baserunning.
Hal McCray was the spirit of MLB baserunning.
McRae.
Meredith MacRae
Him, too.
Burgess Meredith
Don Meredith. “Turn out the lights….”
Disagree. I think it’s a wonderful strategy and a super cool new aspect.
If a few years go by an there needs to be a rule because of it, fine. But I’m not even thinking of a rule preventing this at this point. I like it, and we need to see more before deciding either way.
Where are the Robot Balls and Strikes.
Can we vote to lose a season over that?!
To prevent them? Maybe
Most people want an automated strike zone. It’s coming wether you like it or not.
In correct. The players don’t, and they are the only ones that count.
Only 13% of players and baseball personnel want to keep the current system. They are trying out ABS in Spring Training. The next year or two will be changed to ball and strike review. After that adjustment will come the natural progression of an automated strike zone. Technology is our friend. Players are not the only one that counts. Fans and money are the priority.
Money is the priority.
If we can have robot umpires, can we have robot players? Can’t wait to see the Detroit Tigers, brought to you by Ford and GM robotics division.
Of course the Dodgers will be able to afford Ferrari.
stymeedone — even the NFL double checks the ball placement since 10 yards is 10 yards in every game, every time, everywhere in the NFL.
It’s still a Robot free NFL.
Bio-enhanced Players in MLB didn’t bring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 🙂
like both of these
Are we now going to see runners hopping on one foot to delay the force out?
Or taking a big jump before a slide using second base as like a spring board into a dive where you try to reach the outfield without letting your feet touch the ground.
realist,
It’s not the fielder who would delay, it’s the runner. Abandonment would be called when both of the runner’s feet touch the ground, so hopping would prevent the replay official from ruling abandonment had occurred.
I misread it, thanks
Implement a rule and people will find the loopholes.
Why would the fielder delay?
As the article says, overrunning bases is a strategy that only occurs in 2 out situations, to try to allow lead runners to score from 3rd.
If the fielder steps on the base for the force out, inning is over. And no runs score.
I guess folks saw this happen last season, I didn’t…but can’t the runner just make a turn for the next base after running through the bag? You make your own baseline as long as you are not avoiding a tag (or something like that…)
Ridiculous.
One rule I’d like to see is if you slide on a force play that half of the inning is automatically over and any runs that might have scored on the play don’t count.
Why
Why not?
He asked you first
I did
There is never a good reason to slide on a force play. You’re not trying to avoid the tag because there is no tag to avoid.
A player slides on a force play to avoid running past the base, which risks being tagged out if safe on the force.
With the idea that a slide into the bag is a faster way to get there than slowing down enough to stay on the base standing.
There is no “if safe on the force.” They’re out by a mile. The real reason they do it is to obstruct the fielder who is trying to go for a double play.
The abandonment rule is fine. The shift rule is dumb but also — how many times did that even happen in 2024? Regardless, you should be able to position players anywhere you want. The hitters should be forced to adjust.
It’s to prevent infielders from toeing that fine line so umps don’t need to make a questionable call.
The real question is what they’re going to do about Roger Beshens who’s ruining baseball, America and modern society with the teaching of the illicit football slider. Have some courage, Manfred. Don’t let Roger ruin America.
Maybe. But soccer is growing in popularity. Maybe people will enjoy all these 1-0 games.
I like to think Roger Beshens is another character Roger from American Dad plays. Personally, I think Ricky Spanish is the best of the bunch.
Start each inning with the bases loaded..
And a full count…
They all still do it second and short lining up behind second., unless they are going to force the issues then it’ll be the same
Why does baseball feel the need to make rule changes every year? It’s obviously keeping irrelevant people employed with nothing better to do.
I don’t like the shift rule. A team should be allowed to position their fielders any way they want. The hitters should learn how to hit opposite field, IMO.
Bring back the shift. Players should be able to stand wherever they want.
I think there should be a trap doors between each base and each team gets one chance to use it during the game. Also, one player gets a gun, but nobody knows which player has it.
Yes but if you shoot a player safely on a bag a judge sentences you to death right there on the field.
I think a combo of the movie Runningman and baseball would amazing.
Also the worst team in each league becomes owned by the taxpayers for the next season. They are still run by the same ownership group and management, but all profit and revenue that’s routed to the owners goes to the city. If they aren’t the worst next year the owner pays a $20 million fee to reacquire. The fee raises to $50 million if it happens twice in a row. If it’s 3 straight years as the worst, the public can sell the ownership and keep all revenue from its sale.
This feels like overkill. Penalizing rare shift violations with a “free base” is unnecessary when it barely happened last season, and the new baserunning rule addresses an edge case so obscure it’s hardly worth the effort.
Lol
@baseballteam
On the surface it sounds ridiculous. Go a little deeper and it still sounds ridiculous. But if you venture to go exploring in the vast, dark mysterious places deep in the bowels of Dodger stadium you might find secret laboratories and hordes of Manfred’s minions using AI to create artificial cloned human cyborg pitchers programmed to throw 130mph Sweepers for strikes every time. In that case, starting each inning with the bases loaded idea seems appropriate.
For those of you who want the shift back, do you want offense to further decrease league-wide?
In 2024, MLB as a whole hit .243/.312/.399. If the shift comes back, you’ll have more players swinging for the fences and have an increase of overall strikeouts.
how about a new rule allowing shaved and rolled aluminum bats, but you start with an 0-2 count lol
Or a retroactive review of the Andrelton Simmons “infield fly” call in the 2012 playoffs? That was some BS. Not that it matters, but it would make Cardinals fans take a break from impregnating their sisters.
Pronk,
Goofy rules jokes, funny.
Incest jokes, not funny.
The infield fly reassessment was a joke. The incest part wasn’t a joke. “She’s not your date, she’s your daughter. Doesn’t matter if youre drunk” billboards around Missouri don’t seem like jokes to me.
There should be two challenges allowed per game by teams, not just one.
The games are going too fast now, need to make it 50. Ahahahahaha!
Are we getting larger last names on jerseys and opaque pants back this year? I haven’t seen that addressed or confirmed lately. Anyone know?
Heres a better rule: any player who violates the shift rule should be executed. Sick of these modern day soft punishments.
What? If this rule is in place how will I be able to justify not voting for Ichiro for the hall of fame?
I have some genius rule changes of my own. Cancel the ghost runner in extra innings for ever!
I have a much better idea that would bring excitement to extra inning play and keep fans in the ballpark. It would be like hockey overtime 3v3 in a way.
Each team gets to reconfigure their lineup from 1 to 7 with no DH. Each team is only allowed 7 fielders however they want to position them. If the 10th inning is completed and the game is still tied then both teams go down to 6 fielders for the 11th inning and reconfigure there lineup once again. Every rosters players who are still in the game stay in the game. Any roster players who were pinch hit for are out of the game. This adds another layer of strategy and also forces teams to build athletic defense minded rosters with speed and contact rather than power and swing and misses. If the teams are still tied after 11 innings than the game ends in a tie so that teams are not burning out there pitching staff.
And somehow that’s better than baseball with a 10th inning ghost runner?
Don’t like the abandonment change. Would prefer the change it to be the first foot after making contact with the base. Seems silly, but I can see some players jump off second base to extend the time before two feet touch the ground. Let the umpires make the call, it’s obvious the intent of the play, no need to follow the strict base abandonment rule or at least modify it to better prevent this silly play.
Two minor rule changes meanwhile umpires miss too many ball and strike calls. We use sensors to flush toilets and land aircraft but not to call balls and strikes…
“The owner majority essentially gives the league unilateral power to make on-field rule adjustments. That has been to the players’ consternation in the past…”
Not knowing what was said in those rooms, and whether or not the players pushed back on it, it still surprises me they let Manfred pack the committee.
I didn’t hear any rhetoric from the players opposing it when the CBA was ratified. That would lend one to think the subject was not a sticking point, and only later did the players realize they got shafted. I could be wrong.
It should be six players, six owners, one umpire. Asinine for Manfred to pretend it is a process that reasonably hears out opposition to what the owners want.