Twin bills shortened to 7 innings
Shortened season, shorter games.
Big league doubleheaders will now become a pair of seven-inning games, baseball’s latest radical rule change during a season reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic.
Major League Baseball and the players’ union reached agreement Thursday on the new twin bills, a person familiar with the situation told AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement.
ESPN first reported the doubleheader deal.
MLB had already added designated hitters to National League games this year and added an automatic runner at second base to start all half-innings in extras. The free runner will take his spot in doubleheader games that are tied after the seventh.
The Indians swept the White Sox earlier this week in the first doubleheader of the season. The new rule goes into effect Saturday for the rest of the season — the Blue Jays had been scheduled to play a twin bill in Philadelphia that day, but it was scrapped after two Phillies staffers tested positive for the virus.
There are no doubleheaders currently scheduled in the majors, although the Cubs and the Reds will try to figure out a way to make up Thursday night’s rainout in Cincinnati.
With a compressed 60-game schedule that includes few days off, there’s a good chance some weather-created doubleheaders will be necessary. The shortened games will be a way for clubs to conserve their pitching resources.
Seven-inning doubleheaders have been commonplace for years in the minor leagues and college.
Major league players, owners and general managers had discussed this week the possibility of shortening doubleheaders.
“I like nine and nine, personally,” Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino said Wednesday. “I don’t want to be marginalized out of the game, Once we go seven-inning games, slippery slope there.”
Said Angels manager Joe Maddon: “If the doubleheaders were to pile up for whatever reason, I would have it like in a contingency plan.”
“You just accelerate what you’re doing, just like we’re doing with the season. So I get it from the perspective of expediency, if it’s necessary. I’m in for anything right now. I’m not going to speak badly of any kind of suggestion right now that people believe is going to help us get through the season, get through the playoffs and conclude them,” he said.
Nats win, ump injured: Michael A. Taylor’s second homer of the season helped the “visiting” Nationals knock around struggling Hyun-Jin Ryu and beat the home-away-from-home Blue Jays 6-4 before both teams head into a coronavirus- caused “mini All- Star break,” as Washington manager Dave Martinez called it.
The game had a scary moment early when home plate umpire Joe West left in the bottom of the first inning before eventually returned after getting bloodied when he was hit in the head by Bo Bichette’s flying bat.
West, 67, who is the senior umpire in MLB, was struck near his left ear when Blue Jays leadoff hitter Bichette lost hold of his bat while swinging at — and missing — the first pitch thrown by Nationals RHP Erick Fedde.
Play in the game — the last four of four in a row between the teams — was delayed for six minutes. When action resumed, Vic Carapazza moved from his original assignment at second base to behind the plate, and the game continued with three umpires until West came back in the middle of the third inning. West shifted to umpiring at third.
Extra innings: Mike Trout was placed on the paternity list before the Angels’ game against the Mariners. The reigning AL MVP and his wife, Jessica, are expecting their first child, which was due Monday. ... The Rangers will be without closer Jose Leclerc for most of the season with a shoulder injury similar to the one that sidelined starter Corey Kluber earlier this week. Leclerc’s muscle tear in his right shoulder is not as severe as Kluber’s, but he will have the same injection and be out the same four weeks before any plan for throwing is considered, GMJon Daniels said. ... Edwin Rios led off the 13th inning with a homer — it was a two-run drive under the new extra-innings rule that starts with an automatic runner on second base — in the Dodgers’ 4-2 win Wednesday night. ... Mike Yastrzemski homered twice, the second a towering solo shot into McCovey Cove in the ninth inning, lifting the host Giants past the Padres 7-6 on Wednesday night. ... RHP Mike Foltynewicz cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Braves’ alternate training site. ... The finale of a four-game set between the Cubs and Reds was postponed due to rain.