3 Dodgers players who could be hurt by the new MLB rule changes

1 of 3

Let's just say we're extremely relieved not to have to include Kenley Jansen on this list; the former Dodgers closer is currently at Boston Red Sox camp adjusting his unique delivery to the incoming pitch clock. Godspeed.

There are a few problems remaining at Dodgers camp, though, thanks to MLB's relentless new rules, including (but not limited to) larger bases, a limit of two pickoff throws, anti-shifting mandates, and yes, that intimidating countdown clock before every pitch is delivered.

Meant to speed up the game and increase the amount of action, MLB's rule changes should result in more stolen bases, added pressure on the pitcher, and a change in expectations for balls put in play. Fans will have to relearn portions of the game from the '80s and '00s. Think that hotshot into right field is getting easily gobbled up by a second baseman standing 200 feet away from the plate on the grass? Think again.

Based on the data at hand, these three Dodgers will likely have the toughest time adjusting to their new reality.

3 Dodgers players who could be negatively impacted by pitch clock, shift ban

Clayton Kershaw, LHP

Kershaw has long been one of MLB's foremost pickoff artists, taking the torch from Andy Pettitte (and the generation of left-handers before him) and running with it. He even showed off his special skill on the big stage last summer, when Shohei Ohtani got a bit too greedy in the All-Star Game and quickly found the tag slapped on his back. Advantage, Kershaw.

Starting this year, though, the 35-year-old Kershaw will get fewer chances to prove his supremacy. In other words, he'd better pick his pickoffs wisely.

Kershaw, the NL's leader in successful pickoffs from 2010-2012, hasn't emphasized the move quite as much as he's aged, nabbing just a pair of baserunners last season. This year, he'll only be able to step off the mound and throw over to first twice per plate appearance. That means setups, jukes, lobs to first, whips to the base ... he's only got two shots to make it work before the runner has free rein of second base, knowing full well the Dodgers' ace isn't coming. A third, unsuccessful attempt at a pickoff results in an automatic balk. You'd better be sure.

The crafty veteran should be able to overcome the handicap, but his new strategy might take some getting used to.

Alex Vesia, LHP

Of all of baseball's newly-nervous players, veteran relievers who've always taken their sweet time to get set and deliver are probably the most at-risk.

Many flamethrowing relief pitchers have been known to take a deep breath, collect themselves, and fully rev up in order to put their full effort behind each pitch. Those days will have to change, and those pitchers will have to fix their stamina. They'll no longer be able to gas up, instead being forced to deliver the ball within 15 seconds of receiving the catcher's throw with the bases empty and within 20 seconds when runners are on.

MLB's Statcast measures Pitch Tempo, an imperfect parallel, but a stat that provides a window into which pitchers are taking the most time between deliveries. As the metric helpfully dictates, the pitch timer measures the amount of time that passes between the pitcher receiving the ball and starting his motion. Pitch Tempo? That's a measure of the time between successive releases, from one instance of the ball leaving a pitcher's hand to the next. Still, using Pitch Tempo, we're able to see which relievers are at risk; if one thing takes a while, it stands to reason that the other will, too. Kenley Jansen's third-worst tempo backs that hypothesis up.

The current Dodgers reliever with the worst tempo? That would be Alex Vesia, who averaged 24.5 seconds between releases last season, good for eighth-worst in baseball. If Vesia's going to recapture his fire-breathing glory this year, he'll have to figure out how to do so without taking deep breaths first.

Max Muncy, IF

Fully recovered from the 2021 elbow surgery that slowed his offensive progress last season, Max Muncy feels no restrictions entering 2023. If this Dodgers team's going to hit its offensive ceiling, it absolutely needs Muncy's on-base skills and pure power.

Last year, Muncy increased his pull percentage significantly, drilling 48% of his batted balls into the would-be teeth of the shift, up from 38.9% in 2021, his best season. That stark difference screams discomfort and rolling over pitches he otherwise would've tattooed; Muncy's fifth-percentile xBA of .208 further emboldens that theory. Thanks to the lack of shifting still to come this season, he might want to find a middle ground, though, and collect a few more hard-hit singles through the right side that would've been gobbled up last year.

Unfortunately, that also means he's about to face a defensive challenge.

In 2022, the Dodgers could hide Muncy at second base, playing him deep in right field where his lack of lateral quickness wouldn't be exposed. This year, due in large part to the changes in shifting, the Dodgers have announced they plan to start rookie Miguel Vargas at second, a position he's rarely played throughout his minor-league career. That will place Muncy at the hot corner, where his reaction time will be at a premium.

Freddie Freeman absorbing Muncy's role at first base made a lot more sense last year when Muncy could be used at second. It's yet to be determined how natural the fit is at third, but the burly slugger seems likely to need a defensive adjustment period (and offensive mindset shift) thanks to MLB's rule changes.

Home / LA Dodgers News

3 Dodgers players who could be negatively impacted by pitch clock, shift ban

Clayton Kershaw, LHP

Alex Vesia, LHP

Max Muncy, IF

Schedule