With the Los Angeles Dodgers’ season opener at home against the rival San Francisco Giants is officially one week, KHTS Sports is highlighting several rule changes that have been put in place for the shortened 2020 regular season.

After weeks of negotiating between the Major League Baseball (MLB) front offices and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), an agreement was announced to move forward with the 2020 season on June 23.

Accompanying the announcement were additional details about the impact on scheduling as well as a number of rule changes to be implemented specifically for the shortened 2020 season.

Related: Dodgers To Play In 2020, MLB Announces Regular Season Return

The schedules have been largely allocated to divisional play with the remaining portion of each club’s schedule slated against their opposite league’s corresponding geographical division (for example NL West will play AL West and so on), in order to minimize travel requirements, according to the announcement.

A number of tweaks related to roster size, particular deadlines and rules related to the injured list have been put in place, but a handful of changes are expected to more significantly impact play.

The National League (NL) has adopted the American League’s (AL) designated hitter rule in an effort to maximize social distancing during the 2020 season.

Additionally, in the event of a regular-season game that goes into extra-innings, each half-inning will begin with a runner on second base. The batter who made the final out in the previous inning (or a pinch runner for that batter) would be that runner.

The previously mentioned more technical tweaks include the following: 

• Teams will open the season with a 30-man active roster; it will be reduced to 28 players after two weeks, then to 26 after four weeks.
• The Trade Deadline will be Aug. 31.
• To be eligible for the postseason, a player must be added to the Major League roster by Sept. 15.
• Teams will be permitted to carry up to three taxi-squad players on the road during the season, though if a team carries three such players, one must be a catcher.
• There will be a 10-day injured list for both pitchers and hitters, though the 60-day IL will be reduced to a 45-day IL.
• There will be a separate IL for players who either test positive or have symptoms/confirmed exposure to COVID-19. There is no maximum or minimum days for this IL.
• MLB’s transaction freeze, which has been in place since the season was suspended, will end on Friday at 12 p.m. ET.

Beyond rules changes directly impacting the game another major highlight of the changes put in place were a number of new health and safety protocols.

The most notable off-field change is the implementation of coronavirus testing every other day for players, coaches and support staff throughout training camp, the regular season and postseason.

Additional on the field health precautions include requiring non-playing personnel to wear masks in the dugout and bullpen at all times; no spitting or chewing tobacco; no celebratory contact such as high fives, hugs, etc.; and team personnel and players unlikely to participate in the game will sit in the stands or other club designated area at least six feet apart.

Related: Dodgers Offer Fans Opportunity To Purchase Cardboard Cutout For Display During 2020 Season

While fans aren’t expected to fill the seats during the 2020 season, the Dodgers have announced an opportunity to be in the stadium in another way through the purchase of a cardboard cutout of themself to be placed in the stands for home games.

The Dodgers open the 2020 season at home against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, July 23 at 7:08 p.m. on ESPN.

Santa Clarita residents can also listen to all Dodgers home games live on KHTS Radio FM 98.1 and AM 1220.

Sponsored By:

KHTS Sports is your place for 2020 Santa Clarita high school sports and Los Angeles Dodgers coverage. Find all the latest news and updates on your hometown schools here as they compete in the Foothill League, Heritage League, Western State Conference and GSAC.