SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - As Friar Nation gets fired up for Opening Day on Thursday, some fans may notice things are a little different on the field this season.
This year, Major League Baseball instituted three big rule changes to make the game even more exciting. The rule changes include a pitch clock, a ban on defensive shifts and bigger bases.
Here's how the rules break down:
Pitch Timer: To make the game go faster, a 30-second timer between batters and 20 seconds with runners on. The hitter gets one timeout per plate appearance and is limited to two pickoff attempts.
Shift Restrictions: Two infielders must be positioned on either the 2B when released, and all four infielders must have both feet within the infield.
Bigger Bases: 1B, 2B and 3B have increased from 15” square to 18” square (a decrease of 4.5” between 1B-2B and 2B-3B). The larger bases are expected to aid player health and promote an uptick in aggressive baserunning.
FUN FACT:
On Feb. 24, during a Spring Training game, Padres' All-Star slugger, Manny Manchado, was the first player to be called out for the violation. He wasn’t fully in the batter’s box and facing Seattle Mariners left-hander Robbie Ray as the 15-second clock wound under eight seconds in the bottom of the first inning.
Check out all of our Padres Opening Day coverage here.
