MLB Rumors: League, Union Agree To Implement Seven-Inning Doubleheaders

Major League Baseball already is seeing the complications of trying to return during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the league reportedly is making some adjustments to accommodate for the virus.

Between the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies having to postpone games after a bevy of players tested positive, and the inevitable rain delays here and there, there isn’t much time in the shortened 60-game season to reschedule them.

So according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, MLB has moved fast to make some changes to its schedule.

“Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have agreed to stage seven-inning doubleheaders starting Aug. 1,” Passan on Thursday reported via Twitter.

“With a number of doubleheaders expected to take place on account of rescheduled games due to current and potential coronavirus outbreaks as well as weather-related postponements, shortening games to seven innings was a compromise that came together quickly.

“The extra-innings runner-on-second rule still will apply in doubleheader games, meaning teams in the eighth inning will automatically start with a runner on second base.”

Hopefully, this alteration will maximize the amount of games MLB can get in.

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