How Have The New Rules Changed The Game?

Since the start of the 2020 MLB season, baseball has implemented many different rule changes to speed up the game, allow for more athleticism, and improve the overall game product. These rule changes include Universal DH, Increased Stolen Base Size, Pitch Clock, 7-inning Doubleheaders, and Runner on 2nd in Extra-Innings. Some of these rule changes have stuck around, while others were just introduced for the COVID season and remained one more season after that. The effects of some of these rule changes, like the Pitch Clock, are inherently obvious as the game times have decreased, while other effects on games are slightly murky. Let's take a look into a view of these murky ones and see what they have changed.

This graph examines the 7-Inning Doubleheader Rule in which the first game of doubleheaders would be 7-Innings while the second game would be 9-Innings. This reduced the long days that having doubleheaders created. Though this rule was implemented for the only shortened 2020 season and the 2021 season before being removed. This graph compares the percentage of game two wins to the result of game one over the rule change. It shows that teams in 2021 (when the rule was in effect) have a higher percentage of game two wins than teams in 2024. This is due to shorter game ones allowing for position players being less tired and fewer relief pitchers being used therefore making game two easier to win. Though there were a different number of doubleheaders in 2021 and 2024, so that could have caused the difference. There is also a higher percentage of game two wins after a loss, regardless of the year. This is because in doubleheaders you don't typically use your relievers in both games so if you lost game one you probably didn't use your good relievers. This enables your best relievers to be used in game two which increases your chances of winning.

This graph examines the Runner on 2nd in Extra-Innings, in which, as the name implies a runner starts on second base for both teams in extra innings. This rule was implemented in 2020 to limit the length of extra-inning games and has remained in the game since. Though this rule is not in effect during the postseason. This graph illustrates each team's longest inning game of the season. The distribution of 2019's longest-inning games is from 12 to 19, while the distribution of 2024's longest-inning games is from 10 to 14. This indicates that the rule change was highly effective and this is a large part of why it remains in the game. However, some may argue that it is ultimately too effective and ruins the sacred nature of the game. The rule does cheapen the feeling of a walk-off in extras and removes the classic long extra-inning games. Unfortunately, you can't have short games without having to sacrifice things. Also, other sports have different rules once the game is tied after regulation, so this is just falling in the footsteps of other sports.

This graph examines the Bigger Bases rule change and limits to three pickoffs. The combination of these rule changes led to an increase in stolen base totals in both 2023 and 2024. This graph evaluates the change in stolen base percentage between 2022 and 2024 for each team. Stolen Base Percentage is the number of stolen bases divided by stolen base attempts, so basically, it is the success rate of stealing bases. As the y-axis increases, the difference in the 2024 and 2022 stolen bases increases. Most of the teams have a higher percentage of stolen bases in 2024 than in 2022, though the ones that don't tend to fall toward the bottom of the y-axis. The difference in stolen bases does not determine the level of the increase or decrease in the percentage. The randomness of the years flipping and different length differences in percentage could ultimately be caused by more or less speedy players being on the team. It is important to note that as the number of stolen bases increased, so did the number of attempts, so the stolen base percentage only saw a slight increase.

These rule changes are just the tip of the iceberg, as many more rule changes seem to be coming in the future as baseball adjusts and works to increase popularity. The only rule change that seems to be coming in the near future is the ball strike challenge system. There may also be further changes to current rules as baseball learns more about the effects of the rules they put into play. The nice thing is that MLB has the minor leagues and independent leagues to test out all the rule changes their hearts desire before they make it to the major leagues. Whatever other rule changes come to the major leagues next should bring change, intrigue, and some uproar. Unfortunately, you can't make everyone happy.