It’s officially baseball season, and fans are excited more than ever. From multiple draft surprises to welcoming rookies, the 2023 MLB games are having us all countdown to summer, and the greatest sport of all time.

The MLB will introduce four new rules to achieve an even better non-Covid-season: a pitch timer, pickoff limit, defensive shift restrictions, and bigger bases. Commissioner Rob Menfred came up with the idea of the pitch clock because of concerns of how long games are, rounding up to four hours. He says, “a new 30-second timer between batters will be implemented in 2023. Between pitches, a 15-second timer will be in place with the bases empty and a 20-second timer with runners on base”. An umpire can also call “strike” if the batter is not in the box in eight seconds. This new rule will hopefully be key to shortening games, which could in the end, bring plenty of fans. The pickoff limit applies to pitchers, allowing them to only step off the base three times. The only time a pitcher really needs to step off the mound would be because of steals, wild pitches, and a passed ball. Anytime a pitcher steps off more than three could lead to a balk, which is when a pitcher makes an illegal motion on the mound. When this happens, an umpire allows all players to move to the next base, and could score several points for the opposing team. The MLB has also come up with a rule to keep all four infielders in the boundary of the infield while the pitcher is on the mound. They’re “not allowed to switch sides, or reposition its best defender on the side of the infield the batter is more likely to hit”. The reason for bigger bases is simply to “give infielders more distance between themselves and baserunners”, and will stop as many collisions from happening. 

With new rules also comes new players. In December 2022, the Marlins signed Jean Segura (infielder), Rangers welcomed Nathan Eovaldi (pitcher), and most surprisingly, the Cubs signed Dansby Swanson (shortstop). Many other teams including the Twins, A’s, Blue Jays, Mets, and Reds have introduced numerous rookies at the start of spring season. Whether or not these rookies have a chance to make the top prospects have not been decided, yet. 

Closer to home, Reds fans await for what could be a worse year than last. Winning only 62 games in 2022, most are convinced Cincy only thrives off of one team, aka the Bengals. However, the team will play 24 fewer games against the Cubs and Cardinals; two teams that have an average of beating the Reds. The new “balanced schedule” Mike Petriello made gives hope to any Reds fans, as well as the players, that this year could be more promising. Though not promising enough to make it to the World Series, this could be the start of slowly getting there. Last time the team made it was in 1990, against the Oakland Athletics, and four times before that as well. 

The first game of 2023 is scheduled for March 30, and will be the opening day for the best thing all summer.