Major League Baseball has undergone several notable changes in recent years under commissioner Rob Manfred and more figure to be on the way.
The Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) Challenge System is set to be implemented on a regular basis in 2026, which should have a huge impact on the sport.
Manfred has also floated the idea of shortening the 162-game schedule and potentially adding an in-season tournament similar to the NBA.
Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Freddie Freeman would like to see the league do away with getaway night games, via “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce:”
“The only thing I’d say, if I was commissioner, is getaway night games should be illegal. We’re getting in at 4 a.m., there’s no way our bodies are good enough. The next day you’re just grinding and you’re not your best self. So that would be my only thing. I get the Sunday Night Baseball and stuff like that, but … I get it. It’s a Thursday in whatever city that you’re in and you have a 1 o’clock game, people can’t come because they’re at work. I do get that, but it’s hard on us. But TV, fans, money, I get it.”
Most getaway games are held in the early afternoon so that teams have plenty of time to fly into a new city and prepare for their next series the following day.
Getaway night games are less common, but almost every team has to play them at some point. Especially those that are selected for NBC’s Sunday Night Baseball telecasts throughout the regular season.
Freeman isn’t the only player who has called for getaway night games to be banned, but MLB has too much money at stake to get rid of them entirely.
Freddie Freeman wants to retire with Dodgers
Freeman has only two more years remaining on his Dodgers contract, but made it clear that he wants to finish his career in L.A.
“I would like that, yeah,” Freeman said. “I love being here. I’m from Southern California. I’ve had a great time. The fans, you guys treat me great. Everyone’s treating my family good. So that’s out of my control.
“I’m not worried about another contract, not going to bring it up, not going to talk about it. I got two years left. I’m just an employee. I just do my job, and if they want me back, they want me back. But I think Andrew and everyone know that I love being here. So whatever happens, happens.”
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