Major League Baseball intends to ask umpires to “strictly enforce the obstruction rule around the bases this season,” according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. Rogers adds that the league was slated to have a videoconference with the 30 team managers on Wednesday, and that this move stems from several years of observation.
Obstruction is already part of the rulebook — you can find it and the various instances that fall under its subhead as part of Rule 6.01(h). Rogers highlighted two common infractions that take place at second and third base in particular:
The enhanced enforcement of the rule, which is already on the books, will mostly impact plays around second and third base. The most common infraction is when a middle infielder puts his lower leg on the ground to block the runner’s path to second, sometimes leading to hand or ankle injuries depending on how a runner slides. A common infraction at third base involves an infielder moving up the line to block a runner’s path as he receives the ball from an outfielder.
In the event that the umpire deems a baserunner has been obstructed by a fielder, that runner will be ruled safe. Such a play would not be reviewable.
This marks the second consecutive spring where MLB is attempting to better enforce their own rules. Last spring, the league asked umpires to be more diligent on foreign substance or “sticky stuff” violations by pitchers. Of course, the league was also introducing a slew of new rules, including the pitch timer and defensive positioning restrictions, making for a busy exhibition season for the umpires and players.
MLB’s exhibition season will begin on Thursday, Feb. 22 with a matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Additionally, those two teams will also kick off the regular season with a two-game set in Seoul, South Korea nearly a month later, on March 20-21.
