Baseball’s new rule changes are paying off

Prior to this season, Major League Baseball implemented a series of new rules aimed at quickening the pace of play, encouraging more base stealing, and increasing the number of balls put in play.

And now, as we’re sitting nearly two months into baseball's new era, *checks notes* it’s safe to say these changes are working.

• Games are shorter. Through Monday, the average nine-inning game took 2 hours 37 minutes to complete (s/o to the pitch clock). That’s nearly a half-hour quicker than last season’s average through the same period, and represents the fastest MLB pace of play since 1984.
• There’s more stealing. This season, the MLB introduced larger bases and a limit on pickoff attempts – and someone better call the police because stolen-base attempts are now at their highest level in over a decade.
• Balls put in play are more likely to be hits. Following a ban on defensive shifts, the league-wide batting average on balls put in play is up six points from last year, at .296.

⚾📈 If you change it, they will come… MLB attendance was at a 25-year low last season – but much like therapy, the new rule changes seem to be working. The league’s average attendance through May 21 was 7.5% higher than last year, while viewership for ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball was up 11% in April compared to 2022.