Thanks to a rule change for the 2022 season and beyond, pitchers who are removed from the mound during games can remain in the designated hitter role.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported Tuesday that Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association agreed to changes to the new collective bargaining agreement, including a "Shohei Ohtani rule" with the universal DH now in place. In an effort to promote more two-way players such as the Los Angeles Angels star, starting pitchers who are in the lineup can stay in at DH even after they are done pitching.
The rule will last for the length of the CBA.
Also, rosters will be expanded from 26 to 28 players through May 1 to help make up for the condensed spring training. "Ghost" runners on second base to start extra innings will also return, though that rule is just for the 2022 campaign.
Doubleheaders will be nine innings instead of seven like they were in 2020 and 2021.