Last week, the New York Mets and second baseman Jeff McNeil agreed on a four-year, $50 million contract extension.
The reigning National League batting champion had a year to remember in 2022, hitting for a .326 average with nine home runs and 62 RBI.
But with the new rules Major League Baseball put in place restricting the shift, things may get a little bit easier for the Mets star.
However, he doesn’t think that it will take long for him to adjust to the new rules and new style of play.
When McNeil was asked about the shift, he simply said that it was easy for him to make adjustments when it was on and not a problem when it wasn’t on.
Jeff McNeil isn’t too concerned about MLB’s new shift limits: “I mean, when they do shift me, I just hit against the shift. And when don’t shift me, I just hit.”
— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) January 31, 2023
The rules are obviously changing in 2023.
The new rule states that there must be two infielders on either side of second base at all times.
While McNeil may think that it won’t make much of a difference, hitting may have gotten just a bit easier for him.
If he was able to easily adjust when the shift was on and hit normally when it was off, then few adjustments may be required with the new rules.
McNeil had the highest average of any player in baseball in 2022, barely beating Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, Luis Arraez, and Aaron Judge to the top of the list.
No shift should certainly help players who struggle to hit against it.
But for McNeil, a similar performance to last season could be in the cards with new rules in place restricting the shift.
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