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The prior week in MLB was about a player reaching a significant milestone, a starting pitcher in the National League being placed on the injured list, and the league approving new rules for the 2023 season.
St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols Passes-Rod for Fourth All-Time with 697th Career Home Run
LEGENDARY pic.twitter.com/RdtDR6tecB
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 11, 2022
St. Louis Cardinals legend Albert Pujols continues his memorable 2022 season and made history over the weekend.
On Sunday, he crushed his 697th career home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates, which pushed him pass Alex Rodriguez for fourth all-time.
NUMBER 697 FOR ALBERT!
He has the 4th most home runs in MLB history! pic.twitter.com/7oufiNugi4
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 11, 2022
Pujols is three home runs shy of becoming just the fourth player with 700 career home runs.
.@PujolsFive keeps climbing the list. 💪 pic.twitter.com/qFeWGW9Cp8
— MLB (@MLB) September 11, 2022
He is set to retire at the end of the season regardless of reaching the 700-home run milestone.
Pujols is having a solid 2022 season for the Cardinals, as he has posted a .258 batting average and .833 OPS in 88 games with 29 runs scored, 11 doubles, 16 home runs, and 43 RBIs.
He has played much better in the second half of the season, which has propelled him to reach the milestone of 700 career home runs.
Pujols has had a storied career and will be remembered for several years due to his performance on the baseball diamond.
New York Mets Place Starting Pitcher Max Scherzer on Injured List with Oblique Injury
The New York Mets have placed starting pitcher Max Scherzer on the injured list retroactive to Sept. 4, with left oblique irritation, per a team announcement.
ROSTER MOVES:
RHP Max Scherzer has been placed on the 15-Day IL, retroactive to Sept. 4, with left oblique irritation.— New York Mets (@Mets) September 7, 2022
When eligible, the right-hander is expected to miss one or two starts and return to the Mets’ starting rotation.
He was forced to exit his last outing early due to fatigue in the same left oblique muscle he strained earlier this season.
He missed about seven weeks because of the injury.
Scherzer has been phenomenal for the Mets during the 2022 season.
He has posted a 2.26 ERA in 127 2/3 innings pitched (20 starts) with 153 strikeouts, 23 walks issued, 10 home runs allowed, a 173 ERA+, 2.53 FIP, and a 0.92 WHIP.
The Mets need Scherzer healthy to have a deep run in the postseason, and since the injury is related to what happened earlier in the year, I would not be surprised if the Mets exercised caution.
MLB Approves Pitch Clock, Shift Bans for 2023
Significant rule changes are coming to Major League Baseball.
Breaking: MLB's competition committee has voted to implement a pitch clock, larger bases and ban defensive shifts starting in 2023, sources tell @JeffPassan.
15-second clock with bases empty, 20 with runners on; and two fielders on each side of 2B bag, both feet on the dirt. pic.twitter.com/uPSZ9GbZ8j
— ESPN (@espn) September 9, 2022
New on-field rules instituted beginning with the 2023 season to create more game action and improve pace of play: https://t.co/wf01JRYC3t pic.twitter.com/ZlhkeyBPKE
— MLB (@MLB) September 9, 2022
MLB’s competition committee approved several changes for the season in a vote several days ago, including a pitch clock, defensive shift bans, and larger bases.
The vote among the competition committee was not unanimous; players voted against pitch clocks and banning the shift, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.
The vote among the competition committee was not unanimous. Players voted against the pitch clock and the shift restrictions.
The vote for larger bases was unanimous.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 9, 2022
The vote for larger bases was unanimous.
The changes had been recommended by the 11-person committee, which was formed earlier this year as part of the new collective bargaining agreement.
The most notable rule change is the implementation of a pitch clock, which has been tested in the minor leagues.
Under the new rule, pitchers have 20 seconds to begin their throwing motion with runners on base and 15 seconds if the bases are empty.
Automatic balls will be called if pitchers the clock, while batters receive an automatic if they take too long.
Pitchers are also limited to two pickoff attempts or step-offs per plate appearance. The limit resets if a runner or runners advance.
Defensive shifts will be restricted next year.
All teams need to have a minimum of four players – excluding the pitcher and catcher – with both their feet on the infield dirt, while two of those infielders must be positioned on either side of second base.
Teams will designate infielders as playing on either the left or right side of the field and can not switch sides unless there is a substitution.
Lastly, the league will increase the size of each base from 15 square inches to 18, with home plate unchanged.
These changes by MLB are an effort to improve the pace of play and speed up games, which is the reason for the pitch clock.
The shift restrictions are an attempt to increase offense and have more balls in play, while increasing the size of bases is geared toward player safety.
Author Profile
- Chris is a New Jersey native whose favorite sports team is the Arizona Diamondbacks. He previously attended Western New England College to study Sports Management. Chris has been following the Diamondbacks since he was 12. You can find him on Twitter at @aecanada12.
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