Manfred promises pace of play changes by next week

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. » Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says proposed rules changes to speed pace of play will be in place by the start of big league exhibition games on Feb. 23.

The commissioner has hoped for an agreement with the players’ association but has the right to implement last offseason’s proposal to install 20-second pitch clocks and institute stricter limits on mound visits.

MLB made a proposal to the union last month to abandon a pitch clock for this season as part of a three-year phase-in of new rules.

“There are going to be rule changes with respect to pace of play for the 2018 season. You’ll know about those rule changes before we start playing spring training games,” Manfred said Thursday at Tropicana Field. “It’s either going to be a specific agreement on specific rule changes or there are going to be rule changes that we put in place as a result of the provision in the basic agreement that allows to make that change.”

Under baseball’s labor contract, unilateral playing rules changes can be made with one offseason of advance notice. That means only the stricter rules could be put in place absent an agreement.

While MLB could decide to implement just a pitch clock or harsher mound visit limits and not both, severing part of the proposal could trigger a grievance by the union that would leave a decision to an arbitrator.

“I don’t see anything about those pace of play discussions that should be a labor relations negative over the long haul. I really don’t,” Manfred said.