Rob Manfred: WBC extra innings rule unlikely to come to MLB
In news that will come as a massive relief to baseball purists, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said it is unlikely that the World Baseball Classic’s unique extra innings rules will be making the jump to the majors anytime soon.
Manfred told MLB Network on Wednesday that the rule, in which teams automatically start every half inning starting with the 11th with runners on first and second, is not up for consideration in Major League Baseball.
“I don’t see us having an extra innings truncated rule in the near future,” Manfred said, via Brandon Wile of theScore.
Manfred added that it was only a trial run for the rule and he was happy to see how it worked, even if he’s not going to push for its advancement.
“That’s why you experiment with things in the minors, and World Baseball Classic,” Manfred said.
In a short tournament like the WBC, there’s an argument to be made that the rule is necessary, but it was still criticized by many. There will be other rule adjustments coming to MLB, but mercifully, this will not be one of them.
