The Cardinals and the 2023 MLB Rule Changes

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Major League Baseball instituted four new rules for the 2023 baseball season: a pitch timer, pickoff limitations, bigger bases, and shift restrictions. During the offseason, wise teams targeted players who were fast, were strikeout pitchers, and who had great range defensively in order to combat or lean into these rule changes.

The Cardinals already had speedy players and defensive whizzes on their roster. The thought among management was that they could take advantage of base-stealing opportunities and that they wouldn't be hampered defensively. However, the defensive limitations would require pitchers to pitch to contact less. That was a problem for the Cardinals. Let's take a look at how the Cardinals did (or didn't) take advantage of the four new rules this year.

Shift Restrictions

Many teams targeted strikeout pitchers this offseason. The Cardinals instead chose to stand pat with their pitch-to-contact rotation. It worked in the past; why wouldn't it work in 2023?The Cardinals appear to have been hurt by the shift restrictions. While they didn't shift at above-average rates in the past, they did position their players well in past seasons.

Rather than playing players who could cover a lot of ground defensively, the Cardinals opted for a more offensive approach this year. Offensive-minded players such as Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, and Willson Contreras gathered the bulk of innings at their respective positions. While Brendan Donovan, Andrew Knizner, and Dylan Carlson would all be preferable defensively to these players, Contreras, Walker, and Gorman provide significantly greater offensive upside.

For a team known for its defensive prowess, the Cardinals did not do the best of jobs preparing for the shift restrictions. Rather than playing athletic players such as Tommy Edman and Dylan Carlson in key defensive positions, the team instead opted for offense. In a year where defense would be premium, the Cardinals did not read into that well enough.

Pitch Clock and Step Offs

The pitch clock this year was set to 15 seconds to throw a pitch with no one on base and 20 seconds with a runner on base. There wasn't much a team could do to prepare for this, as this rule is situational rather than prepatory. However, the Cardinals could have signed relievers and starters in the offseason who typically worked quickly.

Giovanny Gallegos was the pitcher with the slowest tempo in 2022 at 25.3 second between pitches without runners on base and 30.5 seconds between pitches with runners on base. It was a genuine concern in the offseason that Gallegos would see more infractions than the average pitcher due to his slow pace. Additionally, it was a concern that Gallegos would struggle even if he pitched within the clock's limitations. Ryan Helsley and Jordan Montgomery also pitched slowly, but not nearly at the rate of Gallegos.

Gallegos's numbers haven't been as strong in 2023 as they were in 2022. The pitch clock is a possible explanation for this drop in performance. Gallegos had a 3.05 ERA, 2.87 FIP, 1.017 WHIP, and struck out 11.1 batters per nine innings. This year, Gallegos has a 4.50 ERA, 4.38 FIP, 1.212 WHIP, and is striking out 9.3 batters per nine innings. His pace has had to be cut in half this year due to the pitch clock. Perhaps that is why his numbers have ballooned this year.

The limitations on pickoffs and step-offs weren't a major rule change for pitchers. The Cardinals didn't necessarily need to plan for that new rule in 2023, but preparations and changes may have helped the team this year. The pitch clock played a much more significant role this season on the team's pitchers, particularly Giovanny Gallegos.

Bigger Bases & Pickoff Limitations

From a baserunning perspective, bigger bases and a limitation on pick-off attempts should encourage base stealing and taking the extra base. In the minor leagues, the Cardinals prospects have taken advantage of these rules. Mike Antico and Victor Scott II have both stolen more than 50 bases this year across the minors with Scott II having stolen 89 bases so far. The major league team has taken a different approach to advantageous baserunning situations.

It is logical to assume that larger bases provide teams with greater opportunities when taking the extra base and stealing bases. In 2022, Tommy Edman, Harrison Bader (traded), Paul Goldschmidt, Tyler O'Neill, and Lars Nootbaar were near the top of the team in total stolen bases. As a team, the Cardinals stole 95 total bases, good for 7th in the National League. This year, the Cardinals have stolen 88 bases thus far, on track for 93 this year. In a year in which stolen bases are up across the league, the Cardinals appear to have taken a step back in that department.

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When it comes to taking the extra base, those numbers have also decreased. Tommy Edman attempted to take the extra base at a 44% rate last year. This year, that number has decreased by 4%. Paul Goldschmidt attempted to take the extra base 40% of the time last year. That number has dropped to 34% this year. Tyler O'Neill attempted to advance to the extra base 39% of the time last year but only 33% of the time this year. Finally, Lars Nootbaar attempted to take the extra base 50% of the time last year; this year, that number has dropped to 41%.

When teams are stealing bases and taking the extra base much more often, it appears as though the Cardinals' most aggressive base runners have taken a step back this year. The Cardinals did not take advantage of the new rules instituted by MLB in 2023 as much as they could or should have.

How did the Cardinals take advantage of the 2023 rule changes?

Shift Restrictions

Pitch Clock and Step Offs

Bigger Bases & Pickoff Limitations

Schedule