Hunt and Peck

MLB has some new got dang rules - A Hunt and Peck

Let’s discuss.

By lil_scooter93 Mar 15, 2019, 4:00pm EDT

MLB: Spring Training-New York Mets at St. Louis Cardinals

Remember earlier this offseason when we discussed potential rule changes for Major League Baseball. We thought they might start testing them out in the Independent Leagues. Maybe we would see some changes implemented by 2020.

So young, we were... so naive.

Basically MLB just like, changed the rules. It seems sort of out of nowhere, but that is what happened. In sum, here are the major changes:

No more waiver trades - the trade deadline is July 31 and that IS IT for trades
Three batter minimum for pitchers - “starting pitchers and relief pitchers must pitch to either a minimum of three batters or the end of a half-inning (with exceptions for incapacitating injury or illness).”
Injured List (previously Disabled List) is back to a 15-day minimum - for 2018 it had been lowered to a 10-day minimum
The All-Star Game voting system will be changed - “All-Star Game fan voting will be conducted in two rounds. During the “Primary Round,” each Club will nominate one player per eligible position (three outfielders), who will be voted on by fans. In late June or early July, an “Election Day” will be held in which the top three vote-getters at each position in each League during the Primary Round (including the top nine outfielders) will be voted on by fans during a prescribed time period to determine the All-Star Game starters.”
The Active Roster has increased to 26 players - it was previously 25

There are a couple more changes like the number of mound visits and time between innings. Check it all out here:

MLB, MLBPA ANNOUNCE ON-FIELD AGREEMENT | The Official Site of Major League Baseball Players Association

Three-Batter Minimums, One Trade Deadline, and Other MLB Rule Changes | The Ringer

MLB Announces Major Rule Changes for 2019 and 2020 | FanGraphs Baseball