Baseball fans, rejoice! This is the day you’ve been waiting for since last year: Opening Day 2023.
The crackle of the bat and the smell of hot dogs and peanuts at the ballpark will be a welcome relief from the toil of everyday life.
As in previous seasons, the hobby in the United States will change in 2023.
First things first: all 30 teams play on Thursday
This year, more than a handful of special teams are in the game. All 30 MLB teams, from the Boston Red Sox to the Atlanta Braves to the Pittsburgh Pirates and even the Seattle Mariners, will play on Opening Day. For the first time since 1968, MLB.com reported.
Fifteen games are scheduled for opening day, starting with the Braves at the Nationals and the Giants at the Yankees.
Both games start at 1:05 p.m.
For the complete schedule for today’s game, visit MLB.com.
On Deck: New rules
The new rules will first go into effect during the regular season. While the field clock was part of spring training, Thursday’s game will be the first time the clock has helped improve the game, according to The Washington Post.
Pitchers now have 15 seconds to pitch when the bases are open. According to ESPN, five seconds are added when someone is on base. But Game Clock isn’t just for casters.
Pasta should be placed in the batter container when the clock strikes 8 seconds. If the thrower does not begin his action before the end of the allotted time, he will count a ball. If a batsman is late, he has a chance to bat.
The changes were approved last September, ESPN reported. A board of four active players, six MLB appointees and an arbitrator approved the changes, according to MLB.
com.
In addition to the game clock, big rotations in the outfield are now prohibited and receptions are restricted.
When it comes to shifts, infielders must stay on the field, with two players on either side of second base, according to ESPN. They can move after the card is cast, but not before. When an innings begins, players must remain on the same side of the pitch they started on, unless there is a mid-court substitution.
In the Hole: Bigger Bases
The 2023 season brought changes to this year’s actual combat. The base is larger compared to previous seasons. Instead of the previous base of 15″, the size has increased to 18″.
A taller base may not seem like a big change, but MLB.com says the 18-inch base will reduce the distance between first and second and second and third by 4 1/2 inches.
It also stops sliding or when the player loses contact while swiping.
The reason for the large base comes down to injury prevention and having more stolen bases. It seems to be working, as the minor leagues have increased their base size. Adding bases at these levels reduced injuries while seeing more stolen bases, according to ESPN.
Takeaway: Robot Referee
One thing baseball fans probably won’t see this season are “automatic hitting systems” or robotic umps. MLB.com said last month that although robo-umps and their corresponding ABS challenge system have been tested in the minor leagues, they are not expected to make it to the major leagues.
But MLB isn’t calling a strike against robot umpires. Sports Illustrated reports that the automatic strike zone will go into effect at independents and all minors — specifically, the 30 Triple A ball parks this season.
SI speculates that the eventual introduction of majors is inevitable.
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