Innovation is a natural and important part of any sport. From new training methods to creative offensive tactics, talented players and coaches will always find ways to leave their mark. But how far is too far?'
With 2022 World Series odds on everybody's mind, commissioner Rob Manfred is forcing players and fans to look to the future. On Friday, he officially announced that beginning in 2023, MLB is restricting player defensive shifts, among other changes. Two main defensive moves will be affected, if not entirely eliminated – the infield shift and the outfield shift.
Under the new rule, the defensive team must have at least four players on the infield dirt, with at least two infielders completely on either side of second base. If the infielders are not aligned in accordance with this rule at the time of the pitch, the batting team can choose to either accept the result of the play or take an automatic ball.
According to the MLB, these defensive shift restrictions are intended to increase the batting average on balls in play, allow infielders to showcase their athleticism, and restore the traditional outcomes on batted balls.