Red Sox’s Matt Strahm Rips MLB’s ‘Unnecessary’ Rule Changes

Major League Baseball officially announced a plethora of rule changes, including a pitch clock and a defensive shift restriction, to go into effect at the start of the 2023 season.

However, Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Matt Strahm is not on board with the pace of play initiatives by MLB and commissioner Rob Manfred, as the left-hander ripped the two when speaking with WEEI’s Rob Bradford on “The Bradfo Sho.”

“I think they’re unnecessary,” Strahm told Bradford. “They talk about the 26 minutes it’s saved in minor league baseball games, but what they don’t talk about is how many pitchers in between every inning are waiting the extra 35 seconds that Major League Baseball has put in between innings for ad purposes.”

As announced by MLB, the new instilled pitch timer, bigger bases, and shift restriction are being instituted “to create more game action and improve pace of play.”

Strahm, nevertheless, isn’t buying it.

“It just seems real petty,” Strahm said. “I don’t know what they’re trying to do with this game. … My take from the whole thing is it’s a joke. From the way it’s going, they’re doing a pretty good job of killing the sport.”

Strahm also mentioned that he and Manfred have never met in his seven-year career in the big leagues.