MLB Rule Changes: The times they are a-changin’
By Bill Felber
MLB Rule Changes: The times they are a-changin’
Position players as pitchers
In 2019, literally dozens of position players took the mound, generally to preserve the arms of bullpen pitchers late in games that were judged to be blowouts. Just to cite one example, Baltimore outfielder Stevie Wilkerson made four pitching appearances in 2019, logging a total of five and one-third innings.
Under one of the new rules, that may still happen in 2020, but it will have to occur within a more defined set of circumstances.
With an exception that will be explained later, a new rule will require that players must be designated as either pitchers or position players. A player not designated as a pitcher will only be able to pitch in extra innings or if his team either leads or trails by more than six runs.
Those exceptions may end up rendering the rule toothless, since most managers only call on a position player to pitch in extreme circumstances, such as extra innings or one-sided games. Wilkerson’s pitching line provides a good illustration. His four appearances included three in which his team trailed by double digits when he came in to pitch the eighth or ninth innings or both.
Wilkerson’s other appearance came in a July 25 game vs. the Angels when he pitched a scoreless bottom of the 16th inning and was credited with a save.