MLB experiments with DH, pitchers mound in Atlantic League originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Big changes are coming to Atlantic League baseball, with MLB keeping an eye on how things go. This season the Atlantic League, an independent league separate from the minor leagues, will make changes to both the pitchers mound and how the designated hitter position works.
NEW DH RULE
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Starting on May 27, the League’s Opening Day, the DH position will now be tied to each team’s starting pitcher. Once a starting pitcher is removed from the game, the team will lose it’s DH in a move the League is calling the “Double Hook.” For the remainder of the game the team will either have the relief pitchers bat in that vacated spot, or begin using pinch hitters.
If it works well, the move could be seen as a compromise to unify the rules between the American League and the National League in MLB. The Atlantic League also hopes the Double Hook encourages teams to leave starting pitchers in games longer, and adds value to starters who can work deeper into games. According to the League, 90% of starters were pulled before completing 7 innings of work in 2020.
MOVING PITCHER’S MOUND BACK
In addition, the Atlantic League will move back the pitchers mound one foot to 61’ 6” starting in the second half of their season. The goal is to give batters more time to react as pitchers’ velocities have increased over the years. According to the League, the strikeout rate in MLB has jumped from 16.4% of plate appearances in 2005 to an all-time high of 23.4% in 2020. The League says that by moving the rubber back 12 inches, batters’ reaction times to a 93.3 mph fastball will be close to the reaction time needed to hit a 91.6 mph fastball on the current mound. Further, the League says a study by the American Sports Medicine Institute shows that moving the rubber back a foot will not increase injury risk for pitchers.
If adopted in MLB, the rule change would mark the first time the mound has been moved back since 1893. However, in 1969 the height of the mound was lowered from 15” to 10”.
This isn’t the first time MLB has used the Atlantic League as an experimental lab. In 2019, the Atlantic League was first to mandate relief pitchers had to face a minimum of three batters, or the end of an inning. MLB adopted that same rule one year later.
Click here to subscribe to the Cubs Talk Podcast for free.
