AROUND THE HORN

MLB: Major League Baseball is set to announce a pitch clock and limits on defensive shifts next season in an effort to shorten games and increase offense. The sport’s 11-man competition committee is set to adopt the rules changes Friday, mandating a clock that will count down 15 seconds with no runners on base and 20 seconds with runners. The MLB clock will be slightly longer than the version experimented with in the minor leagues this season: 14 seconds with the bases empty and 19 seconds with runners on at Triple-A, and 14⁄18 at lower levels. The shift limit will require four players other than the pitcher and the catcher to be in front of the outfield grass when a pitch is thrown, including two of the four on either side of second base. In addition, there will be a limit during each plate appearance of two pickoff attempts or steps off the rubber, what MLB calls disengagements. If a third attempt is made and is unsuccessful, a balk would be called. The limit would be reset to two during a plate appearance if a runner advances. Size of bases will increase to 18-inch squares from 15, promoting safety — first basemen are less likely to get stepped on — but also boosting stolen bases and offense with a slightly decreased distance. The changes will be start during spring training. A catcher will be required to be in the catcher’s box with nine seconds left on the clock and a hitter in the batter’s box and focused on the pitcher with eight seconds remaining. Penalties for violations will be a ball called against a pitcher and a strike called against a batter. Time between half-innings will set at 2:15 for most regular-season games, 2:40 for nationally televised games and 3:10 for postseason games. The clock will be 30 seconds between batters. A batter can ask an umpire for time once per plate appearance, and after that it would be granted only at umpire’s discretion if request is made while in box.

Cardinals, Nationals: Yadier Molina homered twice on a day he paired with Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright to tie the major league record of 324 starts by a battery in an 11-6 loss to the visiting Nationals. Alex Call had four hits and five RBIs for the Nats, including a three-run HR off James Naile in the ninth. Wainwright and Molina matched the mark set by the Tigers’ Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan from 196375. “It’s been a good run,” the 41-year-old Wainwright said. “He’s an incredible teammate, friend, and partner in crime. We’ve been together for a long time. So, you know, we got to finish strong.” Molina, 40, hit a two-run HR into the third deck in left field in the third and a solo shot just over the wall in the fourth. It was the ninth career multi-HR game for Molina and his first since April 17, 2021 against the Phillies. “We’re in a good position, we’re having fun,” Molina said. Wainwright allowed four runs and nine hits in five innings.

Yankees: INF DJ LeMahieu was placed on the 10-day IL with inflammation of his right second toe. LeMahieu had been dealing with the injury for several weeks but managed to play through the discomfort until recently, missing the first three games of the Yankees’ series against the Twins. The two-time batting champ was 0-for-12 last weekend against the Rays and has hit just .143 (10-for-70) with no extra-base hits over his last 18 games.