Many believed that the Ghost Runner rule would not be in effect for the 2023 campaign. That is no longer the case. Major League Baseball announced that the ruling would be permanent.

Over the course of the last two years, it was adopted on a season-by-season basis.

The original cause for the ruling was to help speed up the game amongst a global pandemic, COVID-19. Though three years later it is still intact. Known by some as the “Ghost Runner” and by others as the “Manfred Man” after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, the rule was unanimously adopted by the sport’s 11-person competition committee.

Home teams went 113-103 in extra-inning games last year and are 262-263 in extra innings since the runner on second rule started in 2020, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“Clubs have gotten used to the extra-innings rule,” Manfred said Thursday after an owners’ meeting. “I think it’s generally well-liked by players.”

Though many fans may dislike the rule. It’s not hard to see why the players and teams like it. It creates a less likelihood of a game going to longer innings, for example 18 innings or a six-hour game. That can lead to not only exhaustion for the position players but also a taxed-bullpen and resultant roster shuffling. Not to mention, in long games as mentioned flights are rescheduled and sleep schedules are thrown off. Both of which can fatigue the body, and cause an injury.

Other rule changes

The MLB has also changed its ruling on position players being placed on the mound:

A season ago, the MLB had in effect that position players could only pitch in extra innings or if his team was losing or winning by six or more runs. That’s now limited to extra innings and when his team is losing by eight or more or losing by 10 or more in the ninth inning.

Use of position players as pitchers rose from 90 on 2019 to 89 in 2021 and 132 last year, according to the commissioner’s office. Use when trailing by six or seven runs increased from eight in 2019 to 16 in 2021 to 28 last year.

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