Report: MLB caps number of pitchers on new 26-man rosters at 13
MLB teams have received a bit of clarity about the structure of their new 26-man rosters coming into effect this season.
The league informed clubs on Wednesday that a maximum of 13 pitchers can be carried on the expanded roster, according to Jayson Stark of The Athletic.
The 13-pitcher maximum means the 26th player on most rosters will end up being a position player instead of an additional reliever.
MLB did provide one exception to the 13-pitcher rule. In the event of weather-related doubleheaders, teams will be permitted to add an additional pitcher as a designated "27th man" for those rescheduled games, according to Stark.
Last March, MLB and the Players Association negotiated an agreement to expand active rosters from 25 to 26 players starting this year. The 2020 changes are part of a larger agreement that also included the implementation of a single trade deadline.
Other roster changes beginning in 2020 include the elimination of 40-man active rosters in September. Instead, teams will be capped at 28 players during the final month of the season. Position players won't be allowed to pitch unless they're designated as "two-way players," with exceptions made for games in extra innings or for teams leading or trailing by at least six runs.
A three-batter minimum for pitchers will also be implemented in 2020.
The current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2021 season.