Who Will Benefit Most From The New MLB Shift Rule?
Baseball is one of the oldest sports in the US, and the MLB implemented some significant rule changes that will impact gameplay beginning in the 2023 season. The new MLB shift rule effectively bans the shift, a strategy that became common among fielding teams over the last few years. Hitters will benefit the most from the new MLB shift rule, especially left-handed batters. With this new rule, fans will most likely see batting averages increase, which means overall scoring will improve for MLB teams. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is the New MLB Shift Rule?
The MLB created a series of new rules, such as including a pitch clock that speeds up the time in between pitches, that will be enforced beginning in the 2023 season. The purpose of these new rules is to speed up the pace of baseball games (which notoriously can be quite slow) and to increase the number of runs scored.
One of these rules is the shift rule, which bans the defense from moving away from their assigned spots on the field. More specifically, all four infield players must be on the infield dirt, with two players on either side of second base when the pitch is thrown. The rule will hinder defense since it will allow more hitters to get one base, which should translate to more runs. Historically, the clustering of infield players on the right side of the field has helped defense catch fly balls and get hitters out before making it to first base. However, this practice is now banned.
How Do Hitters Benefit the Most from the New MLB Shift Rule?
Typically, baseball games are relatively low-scoring. With the new rule in place, hitters are now able to get on base easier because infield players won’t be as clustered on the right side of the field.
Left-handed hitters will benefit the most from the new shift rule since their hits typically land on the right side of the field. Dead pull hitters will also reap the same benefits. Overall, the benefits of the new MLA shift rule include higher batting averages for hitters and higher-scoring games. Fans should look forward to seeing more runs with the installment of this new rule.
How Will the MLB Shift Rule Impact Baseball Games in the Future?
Overall, the new MLB shift rule, which went into effect to start the 2023 season, will help MLB teams increase their number of runs scored and help hitters increase their batting average. The shift rule is just one of the multiple new rules that the MLB instated to help speed up the game for fans and make it more entertaining. Fans should look forward to how these new rules – especially the shift rule – will enhance gameplay for all MLB games moving forward.