It's opening day for Major League Baseball and with the new season comes new and revamped rules aimed at accelerating game-play and boosting fan interest in the game.
Of the changes, the switch-up in pitching time is perhaps the most significant. The pitch clock has been shortened to 15 seconds when bases are empty and 20 seconds when runners are on in order to speed up the game.
Fans and analysts alike have expressed concern that the change could increase the number of injuries in pitchers around the league.
Other notable changes include a defensive set-up that requires two outfielders to be on either side of second-base and expanding the size of bases.
Fans will have plenty of opportunity to watch the new rules in effect on opening day as there are 15 games slated today.
Opening Day Games
(All times ET)
Braves at Nationals, 1:05 pm
Giants at Yankees, 1:05 pm
Orioles at Red Sox, 2:10 pm
Brewers at Cubs, 2:20 pm
Tigers at Rays, 3:10 pm
Phillies at Rangers, 4:05 pm
Blue Jays at Cardinals, 4:10 pm
Mets at Marlins, 4:10 pm
Pirates at Reds, 4:10 pm
Twins at Royals, 4:10 pm
White Sox at Astros, 7:08 pm
Rockies at Padres, 9:40 pm
Angels at Athletics, 10:07 pm
Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 10:10 pm
Guardians at Mariners, 10:10 pm
—----------------
The changes to the game are pretty significant for this upcoming season and it will be interesting to see what ramifications they have.
This Changes Things: Advice for the executives and leaders of tomorrow, brought to you by American Express OPEN. On Between Bells: The Bachelor finale and big changes at ESPN. With Popular Science, Us Weekly, and more.
In a time when TV ratings are dropping for a number of different sports, eSports is on the rise. Millions of people tune in to watch gamers compete online to the tune of millions of dollars. That economic potential is grabbing the attention of VC firms like Accel.
Big changes are coming to ESPN. The sports network just named James Pitaro as president, all while former host Adrienne Lawrence is accusing several network employees of harassment and discrimination. FHM's Nick Dimengo discusses whether or not Pitaro's digital background will be enough to save the struggling network.
With March Madness around the corner and the FBI investigating NCAA for benefit violations, the issue of whether college athletes should be paid is back in the spotlight. Swofford, though, says the whole system needs to be revamped.
ACC Commissioner John Swofford discusses what the last two years have been like having the ACC Tournament at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The first round of the tournament starts Tuesday afternoon.
ESPN has a new president, following the abrupt resignation of its former president in December. The Nordstrom board rejected an offer from the Nordstrom family to take the company private.
The founder behind luggage company Wool & Oak wanted a trendy, back-packing alternative to the traditional tourist bag. Now Wool & Oak is now out with their third Kickstarter campaign that was fully funded in less than 24 hours!
The D10 is a Wall Street decathlon that has raised more than $10 million for pediatric cancer research over the years. This June, the event will celebrate it's 10th anniversary!
The Weinstein Company reaches a deal, REI stops ordering from Vista Outdoor over its response to Parkland shooting. Fox will finally air its "If I Did It" interview with OJ Simpson, more than a decade after taping it.
Snap is planning to roll out new Spectacles after its first version failed spectacularly. An investor group strikes a last-minute deal to buy the Weinstein Co. Global markets are tanking on fears of a trade war following President Trump's tariff announcement. And we're talking eSports with Mike LaBelle, the New York Red Bulls' first official eSports athlete.
