When you have a new year, it’s always a time to look forward.

There will be a few significant changes to baseball in 2020.

The first being the 26-man roster. Because the game has devolved into mainly a bullpen duel, teams are running out of pitchers and pinch hitters. So, rosters are expanding to 26 players in 2020, with a maximum of 13 pitchers. This is great news for all the Adam Rosaleses of the world.

In an effort to cut down on the endless parade of relief pitchers, which slows the game to a halt, any pitcher brought into a game must face a minimum of three batters. No more bringing in one pitcher to face a lefty, then another to face a righty. 

The September call-up is being curtailed. It used to be a team could have as many as 40 players on its bench in September. This was leading to slowing the game down even more since a team could carry so many pitchers, they could have one pitcher per batter. It was getting out of hand. The maximum September roster size is 28 players per team.

MLB also wants to cut down on position players pitching. They feel it’s making a mockery of the game. In 2019, 90 position players took the mound. So, before the start of the season, teams must designate players as either position players or pitchers. Only players designate as pitcher will be allowed to pitch. Of course, there will be exceptions. If one team is up by more than seven runs, or if a game is in extra innings, or if a player is designated a two-way player. 

But the most significant change to baseball might just be to the baseball itself. MLB is studying why so many home runs were hit and is expected to put regulations in place to un-juice the ball. Meaning, the only thing a player like Rougned Odor is good at is going to be harder to accomplish.

Electronic balls and strikes are coming. So is the DH in the National League. Not next year but soon. 

Baseball is always evolving. Hopefully it gets better in Arlington soon.