Baseball Three-Batter Minimum Rule

Over the past ten years, Major League Baseball (MLB) has instituted a series of rules that were designed to speed up the game and eliminate some of the “dead time” during games. One of those newer rules is the three-batter minimum rule, which has been in place since 2020. This rule will be discussed in greater detail below.

Definition

Officially, the three-batter minimum rule states that a pitcher must face three batters once they enter the game before they are removed from the game. This rule was created to eliminate the excessive number of pitching changes, as managers would often bring in 2-3 pitchers per inning in order to try and create the most advantageous matchups. Now, no matter who is due up, the pitcher must face three batters before a new pitcher can come in to replace them. There are a few exceptions to this rule, and they are discussed below. 

Exceptions

There are two main exceptions to the three-batter minimum rule. First, a pitcher does not have to face three batters if they finish an inning. For example, if a pitcher comes in and gets the final batter of the inning out, they do not have to come out to start the next inning. However, if they do come out for the next inning, the three-batter rule is back in place, and they must at least face two more batters. The other exception to this rule is for injuries or illnesses. If a pitcher gets hurt or sick prior to facing three batters, they may be removed from the game without penalty. 

Rules Summary

Below is a summary of the three-batter minimum rule:

• Pitchers must face at least three batters before they are removed from the game.
• The three-batter minimum rule was implemented as part of the pace of play initiatives in order to speed up the game.
• There are two main exceptions to the three-batter minimum rule.
• If a pitcher finishes an inning, they do not have to come out for the next inning, regardless of the number of batters they faced.
• If a pitcher gets injured or sick, they may be removed from the game at any time.

History

Prior to the implementation of this rule in 2020, managers would often go batter-to-batter in the late innings when it came to pitching changes, and the pace of the game would slow down considerably. With this rule, managers could no longer do that, and there was less dead time for pitching changes and more of a focus on the game itself.

One drawback to this rule is certain pitchers made a career out of only facing one or two batters at a time in big spots, particularly left-handed relievers. Certain lefty relievers would be brought in to face some of the best left-handed hitters, and this rule limited their effectiveness to a certain extent, as they could not just face one hitter. While this was unfortunate for a select few pitchers, the benefits of the increased pace of the game were more important to the MLB.

Helpful Links

These links below are helpful for those looking to read more about the three-batter minimum rule.

• MLB Glossary | Three-Batter Minimum
• Sports Illustrated - MLB Must Amend The Three-Batter Minimum Rule

Other MLB Pace of Play Rules

Below is a list of rules that, like the three-batter minimum, are aimed to help improve the pace of play of MLB games.

• Pitch Clock Rules
• Mound Visit Rules
• Pircher Disengagement Rules

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