The stuff that came out the other day about the National League possibly adopting the Designated Hitter soon? Forget it: Commissioner Rob Manfred said today that expanding the DH is something that’ll have to wait until the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, which -- barring an extended work stoppage -- will take place before the 2022 season.
Manfred said today that he and the owners are focused on pace-of-game changes for 2019. The DH thing came from the players in response to the league’s desire to put forth said pace-of-game changes. Those proposals currently focus on a pitch clock and a three-batter minimum for a relief pitcher unless an inning ends. Manfred can, at the very least, unilaterally impose a pitch clock this year if he wants to since he proposed it last year.
So: stand down purists. Stand down DH-evangelicals. The status quo will remain for at least three more seasons.