Nightengale: Seven-Inning Doubleheaders Could Stick For 2021

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the MLB officials and the Players Association are in talks to adopt similar rule changes to what the league adopted during the 2020 season, for this upcoming season with the fear that COVID-19 could make scheduling a nightmare.

The rule changes that Major League Baseball are proposing include seven-inning doubleheaders and starting games that go into extra innings with a runner on second base, which MLB is expected to approve and adopt.

However, the biggest rule up for discussion is the universal designated hitter rule, which would keep the DH in the National League. Both sides have yet to make a decision on both the universal DH rule and the expanding the playoff rosters to 26 players, both rules that were adopted during the 60-game season last year.

From a Mets perspective, as Nightengale highlights, Mets team president Sandy Alderson is in favor of the universal DH; “Both from a Mets standpoint and from a general baseball standpoint having a DH in the National League is a good thing. The fact is pitchers can’t even bunt anymore.”

It would be a big help to the Mets to have the DH back in the National League, allowing more offensively skilled players that aren’t the best on the other side of the ball to get a chance to contribute.