MLB has made some great rule changes and adjustments over the last 4 years that, in my opinion, have greatly improved the viewing experience. Games are shorter, more exciting and have much better flow.
2022 - Ghost Runners in Extra Innings
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Probably the single most impactful change in recent memory. Quite controversial at the start, but it is probably the single biggest reason for reduced average game duration. And creates lots of opportunities for exciting strategic decision-making.
2023 - The Big Three
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Pitch Clock - 15 seconds with bases empty, 20 seconds with runners on. Batters must be in the box and alert with 8 seconds left. Violations: automatic ball (pitcher) or strike (batter). Average game time dropped from 3h4m in 2022 to 2h40m in 2023.
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Shift Ban - Two infielders required on each side of second base at pitch delivery. Eliminated the extreme overloaded shifts that had crushed left-handed batting averages for years.
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Pickoff Limits ā Pitchers limited to two disengagements per plate appearance (pickoff attempts or step-offs). Third attempt must result in an out or it's a balk. Stolen base attempts jumped significantly as a result.
2024 - Minor Adjustments
Pitch clock tweaks: minor enforcement clarifications, no structural changes. Pickoff/disengagement rules refined slightly based on 2023 data.
2025 - Loophole Closures
Shift violation fix: closed a loophole where infielders were creeping to the wrong side just before the pitch. More explicit enforcement on positioning timing.
Baserunning/obstruction fix: Teams now have the option to take the result of a play OR treat an obstruction pitch as a called ball if they prefer.
Base coach positioning: Coaches were being used strategically to block sightlines. MLB began active monitoring during the 2025 postseason and extended that to all of 2026.
2026 - ABS Challenge System
Automated Ball-Strike system. Human umpires still call balls and strikes, but each team gets 2 challenge opportunities per game to request a computer-based review of a pitch call. Retain the challenge if correct, lose it if wrong. Been tested in the minors since 2022. This is the first time technology can overturn an umpire's strike call in MLB history.