5 spring training stats show new MLB rules like the pitch clock are making the game better

It’s still a small sample size in baseball — and we know those can be deceptive.

But the new rules that have been implemented in spring training — from the shift ban to the pitch clock to bigger bases — appear to be working exactly how we all hoped they would.

Faster games are a thing! More bases are being stolen! More balls are being put into play! How amazing is that?

Thanks to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, we have these stat comparisons, and as some have pointed out pitch clock violations haven’t made many headlines since the first week of spring training.

Check these numbers out comparing last year’s spring training to this year’s:

Spring training 2022 vs. 2023

Time of game
2022: 3:01
2023: 2:36

Runs/game
2022: 10.6
2023: 11

SB attempt/game
2022: 1.6
2023: 2.4

BABIP on groundballs
2022: .235
2023: .258

Strikeout rate
2022: 23.9%
2023: 23.1%

More singles, stolen bases and runs — and 25 minutes faster.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 9, 2023

This is awesome.

Guess what?

Nobody is talking about pitch clock violations either… Wonder why? They're barely happening! https://t.co/wLQRTEPyXv

— Bryce Spalding (@bryce_spalding) March 9, 2023

Amazing!