Back in 2023, Major League Baseball introduced a series of rules changes, with most involving attempts to speed up the pace of play of the game, while others (such as implementing larger bases) were done in the name of player safety.
I wrote about those back in 2023, and I feel they have been some of the most positive changes enacted in many years. The one new rule I wasn’t 100% in agreement on then, and am still not now, was the “Shift” prohibition. The shift rule enacted in 2023 prevented the defensive shift by requiring teams to have at least two infielders on either side of second base, with all four positioned on the infield dirt, when a pitch is thrown. But the other changes, such as the pitch clock (timer), pickoff attempts, etc., I welcomed, and still think were great for the game.
But in its infinite wisdom, MLB has tweaked a couple of those rules. Since this isn’t uniform related, I don’t normally highlight stuff like this, but since the changes are now on the books, I’ll give a quick rundown.
Change #1: Tightening the Shift Prohibition
Unfortunately, MLB isn’t doing away with this, and they’re actually making the rule more stringent. Previously, if a player was deemed to have been in violation to the rule (for example, the 2B or SS crossing to the opposite half of the field too soon), the penalty was either accepting the result of the play or getting an automatic ball for the batter. The new rule will impose a stronger penalty on the team committing the infraction. Specifically, the change is a stiffened penalty for a fielder who violates the infield shift rule and also is the first to touch the ball.
Should this happen beginning in 2025, the batter will be awarded first base and any runners would advance one base. The fielder will be charged with an error, and the batter would not be charged with an at-bat. The offense could also decline that penalty and take the result of the play. The change comes about as MLB had created a potential situation in which a team might feel it better to position a fielder in violation of the rule, since the penalty was merely having a “ball” called (or the result of the play, if the batter were to put the ball in play).
This actually seems like a solution in search of a problem since only two teams were called for violating it last season. Nevertheless, the stiffer penalty assessed against the defense is meant to discourage teams from even risking it.
Change #2: Purposely overrunning a base
This one really gets into the weeds. Because apparently the newest thing in baseball is running through second base, MLB has sought to adjust that rule as well.
Per CBS Sports
The next change is to combat a play that had been employed by a few teams in 2024, notably the Yankees. The scenario here to consider when there are runners on first and third with two outs and there’s a groundball that causes the defense to grab the force play at second to end the inning. If there’s to be a close play at second, teams were teaching runners to not slow down and just keep running past the base as if it were first.
The theory was that if the player beat the throw at second and was ruled safe, the runner on third base would then score a run before the third out. Inevitably the runner going through the bag at second would then be ruled out of the baseline and the third out, but the run would still count.
With this rule change, the replay official can still call the runner safe on the force play, but then out for “abandonment.” Whether the runner on third base then comes home to score will now depend on when the umpire rules the player overrunning second (or third) to have actually abandoned the bag (which in theory occurs the second the player’s foot leaves the second base bag).
This change was made to deter teams from trying to “steal” a run by running through a base and getting into a rundown — thereby allowing the runner on third to score — before the player running through second is tagged out. Again, this is a situation that rarely happens, but in the interest of fairness and safety, MLB has seen fit to modify this rule as well.
Most fans probably won’t even realize the new changes — especially since the plays that they’re designed to address are rare. But I wanted to let you guys know that these are two new rules for 2025.
Bummer. I’m actually a fan of the running through second base play. Baseball smarts at play.
Ugh, this second rule in particular is grating, on two levels. One, they are legislating something that adds strategy and only adds to the aesthetics of the game. The more visually interesting and diverse plays available, the better the product. The problem with the shift is that while it is strategic it also limits the aesthetic diversity of plays.
Two, the Cardinals invented the play–that’s some Yankees nonsense.
That play is still allowed, however you can’t just run into the outfield after crossing second base safely. As long as you turn left and head toward third, pretty much getting in a rundown, you’re good. That is how I have seen most of those plays happen anyway.
Under the new interpretation, the runner is out as soon as the second foot comes down past the bag. So he doesn’t literally have to run into the outfield.
The problem I see with the rule is if the “Runner” is called safe ad second and then IF he turns towards 3rd base how are you going to call him out for “abandoning the base”
Off-topic: Is anyone else seeing the footage and photos from Mets spring training and noticing how hard it is to read the lettering and numerals on new road alternate jerseys?
Did we actually expect anything to be legible?
C’mon man…
link
This is so bad
link
You specifically picked a low res video that was actually focused on Mendoza’s back.
Those were the only videos available when I posted them. But I’ve seen more shots since. They’re still unreadable.
Even up close they’re hard to read
link
I begin to suspect that few professional uniform designers ever check how they look from a distance of greater than five feet.
You’ve been pretty adamant that you hate these jerseys, so it’s not totally surprising that you’d link two low res cell phone videos that show them to be illegible because of that fact. In the first video, the camera is fighting to focus on the two Mets pitchers. In the second…I had no issue making out Diaz and the number 39.
To the original poster’s comment that he is having trouble reading the uniforms in images and videos, I posted three photos that show that the uniforms are clearly legible. Here’s another: link
You don’t like them so you show videos that reinforce your point. I honestly don’t have any opinion on these jerseys…but I am happy they don’t use derivative elements from any of the other 3 NYC MLB franchises.
I haven’t really had any issue.
Here’s one: link
And another: link
This one is pretty easy to read too: link
That’s too bad, because I commented on the thread when Phil announced those that I thought the orange would really pop like Times Square neon. Wishful thinking, I guess.
On the subject at hand, I do appreciate the rules updates. I just hope the announcers learn and remember them on a lazy Sunday afternoon when someone tries running through second.
I for one found this post noteworthy. Having recently been certified as an ump in the state of Indiana these rules will not apply to me as I will be umping primarily high school. Good to be up to date on rules changes at the pro level to see trends to look out for. It kind of goes back to having baseball smarts that can actually decide ballgames.
How is this uniform related?
“How is this uniform related?”
I assume you read the article. Because in the third graf I wrote: “Since this isn’t uniform related, I don’t normally highlight stuff like this, but since the changes are now on the books, I’ll give a quick rundown.”
I like interesting changes like this for the four major sports getting a little rundown, especially since it was such a unique thing going on last year with the over running the bases.
these rules make the pretty non exciting game even less exciting.
To make this nice article more uniform related: MLB adding beepers to the uniform that will sound off whenever players are standing in a shift or run through second or third base. BEEEEEEEEPPPP!
IMO, this is way too complicated for even the umpires to figure out. Why do we have to go to this extreme? The shift should have never have been outlawed in the first place. I don’t agree with it. The players should have learned to hit “The Other Way”. Yeah, I’m an old school guy. So much so that back in the day, if the base runner could place a hand on the bag, no matter how far outside the bag he slid, he could take the shortstop or the second baseman out at second. Much cleaner, easier for the umpires to call. And if he came in standing, up in order to score that run at 3rd, his head would be taken off by either the shortstop or second baseman. He better come in sliding or duck. And so what is someone gets hurt. It’s big league, big boy baseball, get over it. No one told the owners to pay players $70 million a year and risk injury. Besides, if their smart businessman, they have insurance policies on all these guys they pay these millions to. Why mess with the rules. Sorry folks, I’m just an old school guy that loves the game of baseball. I hate when they mess with the rules so much. Sheeeeeeeeeesh.
I can’t stand the ghost runner on second in the 10th inning! Let’s play one extra inning clean of ghosts! Put a guy on first in the 11th, second in the 12th, and third in the 13th until you have a winner. Chuck us traditionalists a bone!!
The ghost runner is the one rule I absolutely cannot stand. It breaks *everything* when it comes to statistical continuity. The winning run can be scored without ever having reached base. (Not just “can be”; it will almost always score that way.) A pitcher can be charged with a run without having allowed a baserunner. It’s insane. Just have tie games if you want the game to be over by a certain point.
This new shift violation penalty has a similar continuity-breaking flaw: a person is put on base without having done anything, and a fielder is charged with an error without a play having happened. At least the fielder can be said to have done *something* when he stepped out of position.
But I still can’t believe the ghost runnner was ever allowed to become a thing. It’s not too late to undo it and toss it in history’s garbage bin where it belongs.