MLB exploring big changes, including pitch clock

HOUSTON - Limiting pitching changes, restricting defensive shifts, altering the strike zone and installing pitch clocks are among the ideas Major League Baseball may consider as it undertakes a multiyear review of the game that could include the sport's most radical changes in decades.

Baseball owners were given a lengthy presentation Thursday during their quarterly meeting of how the sport has changed in the past 40 to 50 years.

If implemented, some of the changes could be the most revolutionary since the AL adopted the designated hitter in 1973 or perhaps even since the number of balls for a walk was reduced from five to four in 1889.

Offense dropped steadily after the start of drug testing in 2003 until an uptick started in the second half of last season. Strikeouts have set records annually for much of the past decade, increasing from an average of 12.74 per nine-inning game in 2006 to 15.57 this season.

And the average time of a nine-inning game is exactly 3 hours - Manfred highlighted that Game 7 of the 1960 World Series took 2:36 for Pittsburgh's 10-9 win over the New York Yankees. He acknowledged some of the increased length was caused by added TV commercials.

Manfred also said defensive shifts have changed the game: There were 2,464 on balls in play in 2011 and this year's total projects to 28,117, according to Baseball Info Solutions. Pitchers per nine-inning game have increased from 6.89 in 2000 to 7.88 last year.

''You can make an argument that more relievers have lengthened the game, more pitching changes has slowed the pace of the game and the unbelievable effectiveness of those relief pitchers have robbed some of the action from the game,'' Manfred said.

While MLB can make on-field rules changes unilaterally with one year advance notice, it has done so in recent years only with approval of the players' association. While Manfred would like to see pitch clocks, which have been used successfully in the minor leagues since 2015, the union has been reluctant, leaving the matter for this year's bargaining. The current contract expires Dec. 2.