MLB considering drastic starting pitching rule change

Major League Baseball is reportedly mulling a six-inning requirement for starting pitchers.

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported Thursday that the league is exploring the rule change as it aims to “restore the prestige of the starting pitcher,” among other on-field goals.

League officials floated a set of exceptions to the proposed rule, per Rogers, including the pitcher suffering an injury, throwing more than 100 pitches or allowing four or more earned runs.

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In addition to re-establishing the starter as a given game’s main character, an anonymous MLB official told Rogers that the league wants to increase “the amount of action in the game” and reduce “the prevalence of pitching injuries” with the change.

Some industry experts speculated that the potential rule change would lead to an increase in strike throwing rather than the 100+ mph fastballs and nasty breaking balls hurlers toss today.

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“You would have to push command over stuff,” Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen said, per ESPN. “Pushing [pitching to] contact would be the biggest thing to prepare guys to throw six innings on a consistent basis.

“There would have to be some pullback on velocity, though that’s a tough thing because that’s where you get outs.”

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A six-inning minimum is still far from becoming a reality – Rogers reported that the change would take “years of advance notice.”

The requirement would likely start with a trial phase in the minor leagues before coming to the big leagues, as other recent rule changes have, leaving teams plenty of time to adjust their player development process.

The latest rumor comes after the league has instituted a number of rule changes in recent years in an effort to improve the on-field product, including a pitch clock, limiting pickoff throws and banning the shift.

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