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M.L.B. Creates ‘Ohtani Rule’ to Keep Star’s Bat in Games

A new rule will allow a pitcher who bats for himself to stay in a game as the designated hitter when he is finished pitching.

Both leagues will have the designated hitter starting in 2022, but Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels will continue to hit for himself.Credit...Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports, via Reuters

TEMPE, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani’s ascent through the majors has moved from winning the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 2021 to, essentially, having a major rule changed for him in 2022.

Major League Baseball and the players’ union reached a tentative agreement on a few rules changes for the upcoming season, one of which allows a starting pitcher who hits for himself to remain in a game as the designated hitter even if he is pulled for a relief pitcher.

And with that, the Ohtani Rule was born.

In addition to that change, rosters will be expanded from 26 to 28 players through May 1 as a protective health measure following the shortened, three-and-a-half week spring training. Games that go to extra innings will begin with a runner on second base each inning after the ninth for at least one more season, and doubleheaders will go back to nine innings, rather than seven.

The rule changes were confirmed by a person familiar with the agreement who was not authorized to discuss them because they have not been ratified by the 30 club owners.

As for the so-called Ohtani Rule, it came up in relation to the universal D.H. rule that will be implemented in 2022, with the National League finally adopting the position that had been in use by the A.L. since 1973. Before this Ohtani-inspired change, the D.H. position had been the one spot in the batting order in which substitutions and double-switches were not permitted.


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