Everybody is focusing on MLB‘s decision to implement a pitch clock, restrict the shift, and use bigger bases.
However, other changes will come into fruition this upcoming season.
The schedule used to heavily emphasize intra-divisional play, but the league is changing that starting in 2023.
For the first time ever, each team will face each of the 29 other squads during the regular season.
The league didn’t want strength of schedule within one team’s division to be too big of a factor in determining which teams will advance to the playoffs.
The number of divisional games for each MLB organization will go from from 76 to 52.
Now, each team will face divisional rivals 13 times instead of almost 20.
Interleague games will go from 20 to 46 for all teams.
Which Interleague Series are you looking forward to the most this year? pic.twitter.com/JeUOoLYPdU
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 29, 2023
Increasing interleague games creates a series of exciting matchups with historical context to be enjoyed in 2023.
To answer the tweet’s question about the most attractive interleague games to follow, there are some candidates: the New York Yankees – San Francisco Giants matchup has its roots in NYC, when the Giants played in the Big Apple.
The same can be said about the Los Angeles Dodgers – Yankees matchup in June.
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a thing before they moved to Los Angeles, and they had none other than Jackie Robinson.
The Dodgers will face the Boston Red Sox for the first time since Mookie Betts switched teams in 2020.
The Dodgers – Houston Astros will be a rematch of the controversial 2017 World Series, and the Giants – Oakland Athletics gives us late-eighties vibes.
There are many more interleague games worth watching, and that’s part of MLB’s charm this year.
NEXT: The Yankees Make A Tough Opening Day Roster Decision
