As soon as the final whistle blows in the Super Bowl, baseball writers and fans across the country quickly hop on social media and proclaim it’s their turn to be in the spotlight. There are several changes on MLB’s docket this season, and we’re here to tell you what you need to know for the 2023 season.
A Balanced Schedule
What makes baseball unique compared to the other major sports is its schedule. If you are a fan of an Eastern Conference team in the NBA, you only have one chance to see a Western Conference opponent on your home floor, but at least you got that one chance.
Baseball was the only sport that didn’t have every team squaring off against each other. Fortunately, that is no longer the case, as the 2023 season will be the first time every team will play the other 29 franchises. The switch will decrease the divisional games from 76 to 52.
There are pros and cons that come with this move. The good news is that no team can complain about having an unfair schedule as the reason they miss out on the playoffs. With the expanded playoffs, balancing and leveling the playing field is better.
Plus, it allows you to see baseball’s best across the board. Even if it’s an away series on television, it’ll be nice as a New York Mets fan to watch them go against Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, and the rest of the Los Angeles Angels.
The bad news that comes with the switch is that it will be challenging to make a comeback in the standings as the seasons progresses. If the St. Louis Cardinals are three behind the Milwaukee Brewers, all it takes is a quick three-game sweep to tie. With the balanced schedule, there will be more scoreboard watching between the fans and players, hoping they can get the help they need.
Special Attractions
Since baseball’s season has 162 games, creating anticipation around a game or series is challenging. One way to add some excitement is to play games in a special venue, and MLB will try that again in 2023.
At the end of April, the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres will have a two-game set in Mexico City, making it the first regular season contest in “The City of Palaces.” Later in the summer, the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs will take their rivalry on the road to London in a two-game tilt.
Locally, MLB will continue its tradition of the Little League Classic in Williamsport, PA. Even though the worst team in baseball—the Washington Nationals—will take on the Philadelphia Phillies, it’s always a fun watch.
Old Faces in New Places
This year’s off-season was one for the record books, as franchises handed out 12-year, $300 million contracts as if they were using Monopoly money. Steve Cohen and the New York Mets were the biggest spenders, re-signing Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Diaz to $100+ million deals while bringing in Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, Adam Ottavino, and David Robertson.
The Mets tried to do more, verbally agreeing to a deal with Carlos Correa before they pulled out due to concerns about Correa’s knee. Correa was one of the four premier shortstops available on the open market, although he was the only one who reluctantly returned to their original squad.
Since it was apparent that Aaron Judge would re-up with the Bronx Bombers, Trea Turner was the belle of the ball, eventually landing in Philadelphia. Xander Boegaerts turned in his Red Sox and headed west to join the San Diego Padres. The last shortstop, Dansby Swanson, waited until the dust settled before signing a deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Other big names that made a move include Jacob deGrom to the Texas Rangers, Carlos Rodon to the New York Yankees, Jose Abreu to the Houston Astros, and Willson Contreras to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Eyes on the Game
Baseball was once America’s favorite sport; however, that’s no longer the case. America’s Pastime shifted to football, leaving baseball in the dust. Younger folks, in particular, have lost interest in their dad’s favorite sport.
Last year, the league explored several options with streaming and national broadcasting partners, and that remains in 2023. You can catch games on Apple TV+ with a new broadcasting team. NBC and Peacock are also back with their early morning Sunday game of the week. TBS will continue to carry the best games on Tuesday nights. And the mainstays of ESPN and Fox aren’t going anywhere.
Although MLB continues to be a regional sport with minimal national appeal, the league is doing its due diligence in trying to expand the game with these multiple platforms. But this year’s rule changes will be the most significant factor in garnering long-term interest in the sport.
The New Rules
Dua Lipa isn’t the only one with new rules to account for, considering baseball is trying new things with a pitch clock and limits on defensive shifts.
The pitch clock will be a godsend for the game. While it will take an adjustment period for the fans as much as the players, it will speed up the game significantly. We’ve already seen how fast Spring Training games are, with most games wrapping up in under two and a half hours.
There have been some aggravated pitchers and batters since the clock throws them off their usual routine. But overall, instituting a pitch clock ensures a pitch happens every 15 seconds instead of over a minute.
We will no longer see egregious defensive shifts along with the new pitch clock. Every league has illegal defense penalties, so it only makes sense for baseball to finally follow suit. Left-handed pull hitters can rejoice knowing that a second baseman can no longer play short right field, nor can teams load up on one side of the diamond. If these rules existed 10 years ago, Adam Dunn, Ryan Howard, and Mark Teixeira might have had Hall of Fame careers.
The reason for this move was the sharp decline in batting averages last season. Baseball, for better or worse, has turned into a three-outcome game. Batters hit a home run, strike out, or take a base on balls. The number of balls put into play is laughable compared to decades prior. There are many explanations for why this is happening, but it has made watching the game a drag. However, eliminating the shift gives pull-happy hitters a better chance to reach base instead of always swinging for the fences.
That wraps up everything you need to know for the 2023 MLB season. We rarely see a sport have drastic changes from the past campaign, so seeing what this season has in store for seamheads is exciting. Regarding Pregame’s MLB betting tips, all remain the same for our experts picking winners throughout the season. Take advantage of our preseason pricing packages and make this year profitable!
