With new rules in play, including a pitch timer and a ban on defensive shifts, MLB hitters should be more productive in 2023.
The goals are to speed up the pace of play, make the game more exciting and to showcase the athletic abilities of the league’s stars. Not everyone will benefit, though, especially pitchers, who must speed up their time between pitches and be tactical when attempting pickoffs.
A pitcher must deliver a pitch within 15 seconds with the bases empty and 20 seconds with runners on base. If the rule is violated, a ball will be awarded to the batter, and the at-bat will resume.
These Cardinals could be affected most by the rules changes.
Nolan Gorman, second baseman
As a rookie in 2022, former top prospect Gorman posted a .226 batting average with 14 home runs and 35 RBI. He had a .301 batting average on balls in play, but making consistent contact was an issue. He struck out 103 times.
In 313 plate appearances, Gorman faced the shift 71.2% of the time, by far the leader on the team. (Outfielder Dylan Carlson was second at 59.8%.)
The ban on shifts should benefit Gorman, allowing him to focus on squaring the ball up instead of trying to pinpoint a spot to hit it.
Here’s an example of the shift Gorman faced during the majority of his 2022 at-bats.
