It’s not clear whether or not the National League will adopt a universal DH in 2021, but one prominent front office figure wants to see it happen immediately.
New York Mets president Sandy Alderson urged the NL to adopt the designated hitter rule permanently, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Alderson added that “pitchers can’t even bunt anymore.”
Alderson’s position is a popular one. Reports indicate that pretty much everyone at every level of MLB, from the league itself to front offices to players, would like to see the DH become a permanent fixture in both leagues. That was the case in 2020 on an impermanent basis, but there is definitely momentum to make it stick.
The move will be disappointing to pitchers like this who really like hitting. However, they’re the exception, not the rule. That’s one of a number of reasons the universal DH appears inevitable.
