MLB Cracking Down On Pitching Staff Size With New Rule

A bucket with MLB baseballs on the field before a baseball game between Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays on August 2, 2020 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. — (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

MLB keeps tinkering with rules and regulations for the 2022 season.

The league wants to prevent roster manipulation as much as it can, so it is implementing a new set of regulations, effective this season.

“In MLB’s rule changes for 2022, teams can no longer have more than 13 pitchers on their roster beginning May 2-Aug. 31 before the September calls-ups. Injured pitchers after May 1 will be placed on the 15-day injured list instead of 10 days to help curb roster manipulation,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported on Wednesday.

In MLB's rule changes for 2022, teams can no longer have more than 13 pitchers on their roster beginning May 2-Aug. 31 before the September calls-ups. Injured pitchers after May 1 will be placed on the 15-day injured list instead of 10 days to help curb roster manipulation.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 31, 2022

The first month, at least judging by Nightengale’s report, will be played with the same roster rules than last season, except for the fact that in April, rosters will expand from 26 to 28 players.

This was done because spring training was somewhat shorter than usual because of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), so players didn’t have the time to get ready that they usually have.

However, starting in May, rosters will return to 26 players, and squads will not be able to carry more than 13 pitchers on their roster.

MLB Has Introduced A Lot Of Rule Changes Recently

MLB has announced rule changes for both the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

This season, rosters will expand in April, an automatic runner will start on second base in extra innings (the same as in 2020 and 2021), hurlers can remain in the lineup after they are replaced on the mound (the Shohei Ohtani rule) and doubleheaders will be nine innings.

Next year, the league will implement a pitch clock, it will use enlarged bases for more safety, and the shift will be banned.

It will take some time to adjust to all those modifications, but the league is fixated on the changes.

Let’s hope it’s all with the game’s overall health in mind.

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