USA TODAY International Edition
Universal DH, expanded MLB playoffs unlikely in ’ 21
MESA, Ariz. – Most pitchers don’t want to hit.
None of the managers want to see them hit.
And even most National League traditionalists have embraced the idea of never seeing pitchers hit again.
Well, barring a dramatic about- face, NL pitchers will be hitting again.
With two weeks remaining before opening day, two officials with direct knowledge told USA TODAY Sports there are no negotiations between MLB and the players union about implementing a universal DH this year.
And no talks are scheduled. There also appears to be no chance of an expanded postseason, with several officials saying it’s a dead issue.
The playoff format will revert to a 10team playoff field with three division winners and two wild- card winners in each league instead of having 16 teams like a year ago. MLB officials wanted a 14- team format, with the wild- card teams playing a best- of- three format instead of having a sudden- death, wildcard game. They offered the expanded playoff format in exchange for a universal DH, which was soundly rejected by the union.
So for one last time with a universal DH expected to be a permanent fixture in the new collective bargaining agreement after the current one expires on Dec. 1, we will have pitchers hitting.
“It’s weird to see them up there knowing it’s probably going to go away here in the next seven months,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “It’s just hard to wrap your brain around. But that’s the rules we’re playing with. There’s definitely things over my tenure in the game that it’s not always agreed with, but you just kind of move along.”
Ross, who spent 13 of his 16 years playing in the NL, enjoyed its rules as a player but changed his mind when he became manager. “I was always an advocate for not changing,” Ross said, “and then you see last year and being a fan for a minute, you realize you’d much rather have a real bat in there.”
It was ugly the last time they batted as a group, with pitchers hitting .128 with a .159 on- base percentage and .163 slugging percentage.
Now, it could be even worse. Considering these pitchers haven’t lifted a bat or even run the bases since 2019, pardon their lack of enthusiasm for getting into the batter’s box now.
“I wish they had some kind of rule that pitchers that are over 33 have the right to decide whether they want to hit or whether they want to use the DH,” Padres veteran Yu Darvish said.
He happens to be 34 and would prefer never to hold another bat again.