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MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has overseen plenty of new rules that have reshaped how baseball is played and its in-game strategy. Another radical change might be coming down the pike.
The Athletic’s Jayson Stark canvassed opinions from around the league about the “Golden At-Bat” rule, which would allow a manager to send a specific hitter to the plate for one at-bat a game.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman pushed back on the concept in games of consequence.
“I’m old school, you know, even as a young guy,” he said. “I like baseball. I’m a baseball purist. So I’m gonna go no.”
The Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich and Minnesota Twins’ Carlos Correa, on the other hand, were a little more receptive.
Yelich told Stark he would “have to see it more” but didn’t give a flat no.
“I mean, look, we’re doing stuff to change the game up a little bit and make it exciting,” he said. “So I’m open to any idea, and you kind of just see how it works out. And if it’s good, it stays. If it’s not, you kind of just keep going.”
Correa tried to remain diplomatic.
“My relievers are going to hate me if I say I agree with that one,” he said. “I can’t agree with that one because the relievers are going to be under really, really high stress all the time, and then the injuries are going to go even higher.”
The star shortstop did come around, however, after positing that an opposing manager should be able to counter by having the ability to insert whatever pitcher he wants into the game.
This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.
