Major League Baseball has introduced several new rule changes in recent years and one idea being floated is a minimum inning requirements for starting pitchers.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has stated he would like to restore the prestige that was once associated with the role, but acknowledged that would come with some concern.
Starters averaged just over five innings per game during the 2024 season, which is a far cry from the days of pitchers routinely going deep into their outings.
It has become rare for starting pitchers to even reach the 100-pitch threshold in an outing as teams opt to go to their bullpen much earlier.
While some would welcome a minimum innings requirement for starting pitchers, Evan Phillips does not believe one is necessary.
“I think baseball is in a really great spot right now,” he began.
“I think you’re seeing a lot of talented players on both sides of the ball shine. I think starters being able to go, hypothetically, five strong innings, and then have really great bullpen arms coming behind them, that’s just part of the strategy these days.”
Phillips’ stance can of course be traced not only to his own personal success but that of the collective Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen. It’s a group that’s primed to be all the more formidable in 2025.
While a minimum innings requirement would be difficult to enforce, Manfred believes an incentives system could potentially entice teams to keep starting pitchers in the game longer.
As part of the 2022-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), MLB rewards clubs for promoting top prospects at the start of a season and going on to win a major award such as Rookie of the Year or MVP.
A similar method could be used for starting pitchers who average a certain amount of innings or pitches per game. However, any potential incentives would almost certainly have to be worked into the next CBA.
Results of MLB study into pitcher injuries
Another reason why MLB was open to a minimum innings requirement for starting pitchers is because it would theoretically place a greater emphasis on endurance over max velocity.
A recent MLB study showed that higher velocity and max effort have a direct correlation to the increase in arm injuries for pitchers.
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