MLB commissioner Rob Manfred: No rule changes in 2017, many could come in 2018

Rob Manfred says the league will be aggressive with tweaks next winter

All offseason long, there’s been talk about which new rules Major League Baseball would implement prior to the start of the season. Some of the ideas bounced around included limiting the amount of mound visits, adding a pitch clock and tweaking the strike zone. None are coming in time for the 2017 season.

The reason? The MLB Players Association, which has been “uncooperative,” according to commissioner Rob Manfred. Nevertheless, Manfred and the league will somehow have free reign to impose whatever rules they want in 2018 -- that is, without the union’s approval.

And boy, oh boy, do they intend to use that power:

Manfred suggests MLB will unilaterally impose rule changes next year.

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) February 21, 2017

Among the rules changes MLB could impose, per Manfred: a pitch clock, a smaller strike zone, fewer visits to the mound, auto-intentional BB.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 21, 2017

Rob Manfred: There will not be substantive rules changes in 2017 due to "lack of cooperation from the MLBPA."

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 21, 2017

It’s unclear why Tony Clark and the union allowed the league to have unilateral ability to impose rule changes -- or, more specifically, what they traded the right of refusal for -- but it already looks like a questionable decision. After all, if the players feel so strongly about not tweaking the game, then why would they hand away their right to fight?

Whatever the answer, it looks like major changes are coming to baseball sooner than later -- with many of them aimed to improve pace of play. That’s been Manfred’s priority since he took over the commissioner’s office, and it seems like he’ll get his wish come 2018.