The MLB Rule Changes Agreed Upon in the New CBA

Major League Baseball finally ended its lockout on Thursday, reaching a reported agreement with the players association on a new collective bargaining agreement. With the 2022 season now slated to begin on April 7, it’s time to take stock of just how different the game will look with a spate of rule changes on their way in.

Here’s a breakdown of the changes being adopted for the new season, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan:

• Universal designated hitter
• Playoffs expanded to 12 teams
• Limits to the number of time a player can be optioned to the minor leagues in one season
• A draft lottery to discourage tanking
• Draft pick inducements meant to discourage service time manipulation

The most impactful on-field change is clearly the adoption of the DH by the National League. Though widely assumed to be in the works before Thursday, knowing that both leagues will feature a designated hitter is sure to have an impact on teams’ personnel decisions, particularly with free agency and trades set to pick back up imminently. Among the notable free agents still available include Nelson Cruz and Kyle Schwarber, both players who profile as being best served in that role.

Also critically, the new CBA includes a 45-day window for MLB to implement further rule changes, including a pitch clock, ban on defensive shifts and larger bases. Those changes would not take effect until the 2023 season.