The Shift Ban One Year In

What the defensive shift ban has produced in its second year of universal implementation

The Rule

The prohibition on defensive shifts -- the requirement that two infielders be on each side of second base when the pitch is thrown -- was implemented universally in 2023 as part of the rule changes that the Commissioner's office introduced to increase action and contact in the game. The ban directly addresses the defensive tactic that the analytics revolution had made increasingly common and that research showed was reducing batting average on balls in play for pull-heavy hitters.

The Results

The results in the second year of implementation: the batting average on balls in play has increased by approximately 8 points since the ban's implementation. The specific left-handed pull hitters whose production the shift had most depressed have shown the most significant improvement. The overall offensive environment reflects both the shift ban and the pitch clock change that was implemented simultaneously.

On Deck News Coverage

The On Deck News covers the shift ban results because the accountability journalism of baseball rule changes requires the multi-year assessment that the first year alone cannot provide.

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SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/

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