The introduction of a pitch clock, a ban on the defensive shift and larger bases for the 2023 MLB season are expected to be approved in a vote at noon ET on Friday — a vote in which the league ultimately has the power to push through the changes it wants.
The commissioner’s office has a majority of seats on the sport’s 11-person competition committee, which was newly formed this year as part of the collective bargaining agreement between players and owners. MLB has six appointees, the Players Association four, and there’s also one umpire, giving the league the power to push through its most recent proposal. People with knowledge of the discussion said that this amended proposal was the final form, and would be voted on by the competition committee for implementation in the 2023 season.
It was not immediately clear how Players Association appointees to the committee would vote.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member