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A16 SPORTS
Tuesday 28 March 2023
MLB 2023: New rules, big money Mets, Ohtani’s walk year

ertson and Omar Narváez
while losing Jacob deGrom
to Texas and re-signing Ed-
win Díaz, Brandon Nimmo,
Jeff McNeil and Adam Ot-
tavino to big deals. Díaz
already is out for the sea-
son following a knee injury
during the World Baseball
Classic.”$300 million, which
is still a lot of money, didn’t
get us like it used to,” Co-
hen said.
OLD FACES IN NEW PLACES
Verlander left the champi-
on Astros for the Mets after
winning his third Cy Young
Award.
Others on new teams in-
clude deGrom (Texas),
Trea Turner (Phillies), Xander
Bogaerts (Padres), Carlos
Rodón (Yankees), Dansby
Swanson (Cubs) and Will-
son Contreras (St. Louis).
“The goal is to make 30-plus
starts and I truly believe that
I will be able to do that,”
said deGrom, limited by in-
juries to 26 starts during the
Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, hits a single as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes watches during the fourth past two years.
inning of a preseason baseball game Sunday, March 26, 2023, in Los Angeles. NEW BOSSES
Associated Press Bruce Bochy (Texas), Matt
By RONALD BLUM with no runners and 20 while remaining .311 for last year, down from .254 in Quatraro (Kansas City), Pe-
AP Baseball Writer seconds with runners is de- righties. No player will be 2016, when lefties were one dro Grifol (Chicago White
Baseball has transformed signed to cut game times watched more closely this point below the big league Sox) and Skip Schumaker
in the 145 days since Dusty considerably. season than Shohei Ohtani, average. (Miami) are the four new
Baker and the Houston As- Higher pitch velocity and a two-way megastar in An early focus will be on managers among the 30
tros’ sealed up the fran- increased shifts led to the the final year under con- which left-handed hitters teams, while interim tags
chise’s second title in six major league batting av- tract with the Los Angeles benefit most from the new were removed for Rob
seasons. erage dropping to .243, its Angels. He and three-time shift restrictions. Among Thomson (Philadelphia),
As New York Mets owner lowest since 1968. The only MVP teammate Mike Trout those who could be helped Phil Nevin (Los Angeles An-
Steve Cohen dominated an seasons with lower aver- have never played in a are Corey Seager, Kyle gels) and John Schneider
offseason that saw billions ages were the record bot- postseason game togeth- Schwarber, Anthony Rizzo, (Toronto).
spent, the sport braced for tom of .237 in 1968 along er. Ohtani has made it clear Cody Bellinger, Rowdy “You do realize how much
a new world that includes with 1967 and the deal-ball he wants to win. A taste of Tellez and Yordan Alvarez. you miss it and how much
pitch clocks, bigger bases, era seasons of 1884, 1888 October might be needed Teams still are allowed to fun so many different parts
limits on defensive shifts and 1908. Over the objec- to convince the Japanese position outfielders as they of the game bring to you,”
and pickoff throws, and tions of players, the sport’s sensation to remain with wish, so some managers said the 67-year-old Bochy,
an overarching attempt to 11-man competition com- the franchise. may experiment with mov- who led the San Francisco
reverse decades of length- mittee adopted a rule that Other storylines to watch ing the left fielder into short Giants to three World Series
ening games and the Ana- two infielders are required include Aaron Judge’s as- right with certain lefties at titles and left after 2019, his
lytics Era domination of the to be on either side of sec- cent to Yankee captaincy the plate. 25th season as a big league
Three True Outcomes strike- ond and all infielders to be the first since Derek Jeter BASEBALL “BILLIONS” manager.

outs, walks and home runs. within the outer bound- after his 62-homer season; Cohen inspired the char- HOT KIDS
“Late-inning relievers more ary of the infield when the Fernando Tatis Jr., set to acter of Bobby Axelrod, Shortstop Anthony Volpe,
than anyone will have to pitcher is on the rubber. return from a drug suspen- who returns to Showtime’s just 21, made the Yan-
figure some things out and Bases were increased from sio n April 20, teaming with “Billions” in season seven. kees opening day roster
make some adjustments,” 15-inch squares to 18x18, Manny Machado to try Season three of the Mets after playing 22 games at
Minnesota Twins manager which shorten the distance leading the Padres to their under Cohen should be as Triple-A. He joins a rookie
Rocco Baldelli said. “Left- by 4 1/2 inches and may first World Series title; and interesting as the television class that includes Arizona
handed hitters, it’s going to lead to increased stolen can Carlos Correa remain drama. New York raised its outfielder Corbin Carroll,
help them, period.” bases. healthy with Minnesota af- payroll to a projected $370 St. Louis outfielder Jordan
Last year’s average game In spring training through ter San Francisco and the million and is set to shatter Walker, Baltimore infielder
time was 3 hours, 4 minutes Sunday, games time aver- Mets backed out of deals the record, set by the 2015 Gunnar Henderson, White
after the introduction of the aged 2:35 in a drop from with the All-Star shortstop? Los Angeles Dodgers at Sox outfielder Oscar Colás,
PitchCom electronic de- 3:01. Runs fell from 10.6 Five areas to focus on as $291 million, while also pay- Cleveland catcher Bo Nay-
vice to signal pitches, down per game to 10.2 and bat- the 2023 season starts Thurs- ing a luxury tax on track to lor and Colorado infielder
from a record 3:10 in 2021. ting average from .259 to day: be $116 million. Ezequiel Tovar plus a pair of
MLB’s average was 2:46 in .256, but batting average LEFT-HANDED HITTERS The Mets added Justin Japanese imports: Boston
2005 and 2:33 in 1981. A on balls in play rose to .325 Batting average for left- Verlander, José Quintana, outfielder Masataka Yoshi-
pitch clcck of 15 seconds from .314 for lefty hitters handed hitters was .236 Kodai Senga, David Rob- da and the Mets’ Senga.q