Major League Baseball

Report: MLB considering starting extra innings with runner on second base

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:52 a.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, SI Wire/Sports Illustrated

Major League Baseball plans on testing a rule change in the minor leagues this season that automatically would place a runner on second base to start extra innings, according to Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan.

The rule will also be implemented in the upcoming World Baseball classic next month. Major League baseball could experiment with the rule Gulf Coast League and Arizona League.

“It’s not fun to watch when you go through your whole pitching staff and wind up bringing a utility infielder in to pitch,” Joe Torre told Yahoo. “As much as it’s nice to talk about being at an 18-inning game, it takes time.”

The rule change would start in the 10th inning and every inning thereafter.