Although it's not new in 2023, MLB said this offseason it was permanently implementing a provision in use since 2020 that every half inning after the ninth begins with a runner on second base. The idea was first instituted in 2020 to cut down on long games and prevent pitchers being overused in the pandemic-shortened season. It added a new layer of strategy and increased scoring considerably in extra innings — with teams and players overwhelmingly expressing their support for keeping it.
— Steve Gardner
Let’s take a look at the new rules to see how they might impact the numbers and our quest for a fantasy baseball title this season.
Eliminating the shift: Great news for lefty hitters Corey Seager, Kyle Tucker and Kyle Schwarber, who faced the shift in more than 600 of their total plate appearances last season (or over 90% of them). Other players who should benefit from the shift rule include José Ramirez, Max Kepler, Max Muncy, Shohei Ohtani, Yordan Alvarez, Matt Olson and even right-handed hitter Eugenio Suarez.
Larger bases encourage stealing: Trea Turner, Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodriguez and Jake McCarthy will be among the favorites to lead their leagues in steals. Other speedsters who could run more often include Tyler O’Neill (14-for-18 in SB attempts in 2022), Amed Rosario (18-for-22), Leody Taveras (11-for-16), Lane Thomas (8-for-12), Jeremy Peña (11-for-13) and Jazz Chisholm (12-for-17). All of them ranked in the 94th percentile or above in sprint speed, but none swiped as many as 20 bases a year ago.
Pitch clock speeds things up: We do know Corbin Burnes, Shohei Ohtani, Luis Garcia, Aaron Nola and Alek Manoah are among the pitchers who tend to work more slowly. Relievers Devin Williams, Kenley Jansen, Kyle Finnegan and Ryan Helsley also like to take their time. Plus, hitters Pete Alonso and Mark Canha are among the most deliberate at the plate.
— Steve Gardner
Anthony Volpe has arrived, at age 21, and will jog out to his position on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on Thursday afternoon to hold down one of the most prestigious positions in sports. And that alone speaks both for the Yankees’ hopes for the young man and his potential to fulfill them. — Gabe Lacques
Where did Anthony Volpe grow up?
— Bob Nightengale
The truth is that this is a spring in which Terry Francona has shown new life, new energy and gusto. This is the healthiest he has felt in years. He ditched his walking boot, tossed away his crutches and gave away his electric golf cart.
There’s just something about managing a young, talented and athletic team, believing it can go where no Cleveland baseball team has gone since 1948.
“This is as energetic as I’ve seen him,’’ said Guardians GM Mike Chernoff, “in the 11 years he’s been here. It is really, really fun to see. And so good for our team. People feed off that energy that he brings.
“But even when he was in tremendous pain, and not doing well, he’s still really, really good, and in my opinion, the best manager in baseball.’’
— Bob Nightengale
Houston Astros All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve suffered a broken right thumb when he was hit by a pitch in a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal against Team USA that required surgery. General manager Dana Brown said there is no timetable for Altuve's return.
Altuve, the 2017 American League MVP who turns 33 in May, is an eight-time All-Star and Brown told reporters his loss is a "massive blow." The Astros, the reigning World Series champions, will likely be without Altuve well into May.
— Gabe Lacques
Edwin Diaz, the Mets' outstanding closer whose $105 million contract was a crucial portion of the club's massive offseason spending in hopes of a World Series run, crumbled to the turf amid Puerto Rico's celebration after eliminating the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Subsequent tests revealed a patellar tendon injury that will sideline Diaz an estimated eight months, Mets GM Billy Eppler said. It is a blow to his Puerto Rican brothers and his Mets teammates both.
— Gabe Lacques
As Major League Baseball’s 2023 season dawns, USA TODAY Sports examines five players who may not take home any individual hardware, but whose teams’ success may hinge on their health and production.
Yankees' Nestor Cortes: The game moves quickly at the big league level, both between the lines and in a team’s pecking order. For Nestor Cortes, the 5-10 Yankees left-hander, he’s no longer the surprise All-Star, the nice little story of persevering through nearly eight years of minor league ball and organization hopping to stick in New York.
Astros' Kyle Tucker: It is not Tucker’s team to inherit. But now would be time to take that next step toward MVP candidate.All the tools are there: Tucker, at 25, slugged 30 home runs and produced a 128 adjusted OPS last season, and smacked two homers in Game 1 of the World Series. His 129 weighted runs created plus put him in a rent district with Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Mets' Starling Marte: When Marte is healthy, few are better, as he showed last year. Heck, he played through not just the finger but also quadricep and groin ailments, the latter requiring postseason surgery. On a team where six everyday players are at least 30 and three starting pitchers between 36 and 40, maintenance will be crucial. Getting their All-Star right fielder to October – when he turns 35 – might be most important.
Cubs' Dansby Swanson: It’s imperative he show that the 26 homers he averaged his final two seasons in Atlanta is his new normal. That his only season as an above league-average hitter – that would be 2022 – is a harbinger of future production and not an apex. And that quarterbacking a five-time division winner lends itself to reshaping the culture in Chicago, a place they once expected to win, too.
Padres' Blake Snell: A groin injury to start the season limited Snell to 24 starts, but he struck out 171 in 128 innings. With Darvish idled and Joe Musgrove nearing a return from a toe injury, it is Snell who will lead the charge to start this year. At the end, he will be a free agent, heading to the market for the first time and with agent Scott Boras in tow.
— Gabe Lacques
A well-selected sleeper who outperforms his preseason projection could potentially be the difference in winning a league championship.
Here’s one player at every position you should consider as a sleeper pick this season. — Steve Gardner
We ranked the top 250 for 2023. As for how our top 250 shakes out by position, there are 152 hitters, 97 pitchers ... and one Shohei Ohtani. Check out our complete list.
— Steve Gardner
USA TODAY is here to get you fully prepared for the season with exclusive rankings and essential information to help win your league championship. Here is your complete draft kit, including overall player rankings and position by position rankings.
SS/3B Gunnar Henderson, Orioles:Expectations are high for the favorite to win American League Rookie of the Year. The 2019 second round draft pick had a strong showing (.264 with a .788 OPS) in 34 games last season and even homered in his second major-league at-bat on Aug. 31. Henderson, 21, who has power and speed, is positioned to play a significant role this season, likely splitting time on the left side of the infield.
Who are MLB's best young players?
With a pitch clock and a shift ban heralding a new and potentially action-infused era in the game, the rookies and first-year players leaving a mark on the season will have grown up with these rules in the minor leagues, where game experimentation has been the norm for a decade.
Now, those players are ready for prime time - and ready for a major impact. That's reflected in USA TODAY Sports' list of 100 Names You Need To Know for 2023.
This collection of talent from all 30 teams reflects not necessarily the top prospects, but rather those you will almost certainly see bubble up from the bushes this year. The players are ranked by both prospect pedigree and path to find a significant role this season.
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