Major League Baseball and the Players Association agreed to new health and safety protocols, which paved the way for 2021 Spring Training to begin next week and Opening Day to remain scheduled for April 1.
The MLB operations manual for this season encompasses some of the same rules that were implemented last season — such as seven-inning doubleheaders and a runner starting on second base for games that go into extra innings.
Noticeably absent was a return of the universal designated hitter and expanded postseason. Of course, that wasn’t much of a surprise given the MLBPA made it clear they would not agree to implementing the universal DH in a trade for more playoff teams.
Meanwhile, among notable changes are to roster transactions for both Spring Training and the regular season. Teams are required to submit to MLB a list of no more than 75 players for Spring Training camp by 1 p.m. on Friday. It can be adjusted throughout the spring.
Then by 9 a.m. on Opening Day — April 1 — each team must provide MLB with their 26-man active roster along with a list of up to 28 additional players that will either be assigned to their Triple-A affiliate or alternate training site.
Any player on the injured list who is not with the team will be assigned to the alternate training site but not count against the 28-player maximum. Teams will have 26-man rosters through August, then expand to 28 on Sept. 1 for the final month of the regular season.
Teams are permitted to carry an additional for any split or regular doubleheader.
Heading into the 2020 season, MLB planned to have limitations on the number of pitchers (13) permitted to be on the active roster, but that was scrapped due to the pandemic and remains the case for this year.
The taxi squad for road trips has been expanded to allow teams to carry up to five additional players, including at least one catcher. Players on the taxi squad won’t receive service time (unless activated), and can’t be in uniform, or in the dugout or bullpen (exception made for extra catcher) during games.
Another temporary change introduced last season which returns for 2021 is stints on the injured list being reduced to 10 days instead of 15. However, the long-term IL is back to 60 days, up from 45 last season.
MLB imposes Spring Training changes
Among the changes for Spring Training include restrictions on groups for workouts early into camp, the potential to end innings early and shorten games.
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