With the MLB season starting up again on March 30, there’s a lot of new rules to know about. Some of the most influential rules to know about are the pitch timer, restrictions on defensive shifts, and larger bases.

The new pitch timer has been implemented to shorten the length of the game and make baseball a more exciting sport to watch. The pitcher has 15 seconds when the bases are empty and 20 seconds when someone’s on base to deliver the pitch. Most fans of the game are not too happy with this rule. It messes with the player’s rhythm and baseball has always been unique because there’s no time limit on the game. This new rule contradicts that statement.

The next rule being the restrictions on defensive shifts, is also a controversial one. The new rule states at the start of each pitch, teams must have at least two infielders on either side of second base, with all four positioned on the infield dirt. Many believe this takes away from the strategy involved in baseball when last year the infielders could play wherever they desired forcing the hitter to approach their at-bat differently.

The last rule, increasing the base size, was implemented to improve player safety. The bases were increased from 15 square inches to 18 square inches in hopes of giving the players more space to safely step on the base. It’ll be interesting to see how these rules affect the upcoming season and also what the players will think about it.