6 Possible Solutions to Solve MLB's Increasingly Alarming Strikeout Problem

Yet in a strange season during which baseball is defying norms and testing all sorts of rule changes, they're at least worth considering.Among the many rule tweaks implemented for 2020, the universal designated hitter and the expanded 16-team playoff format have gotten the most attention.But the three-batter minimum for pitchers has been quietly impactful.Before, managers could mix and match their bullpens at will, playing lefty-righty matchups and bringing in specialty relievers, sometimes to throw just a pitch or two. But it seems like a reasonable tweak that should improve pace of play and could cut down on Ks.This is another pace-of-play rule that could also reduce strikeouts.MLB experimented with a 20-second pitch clock during spring training in 2019. And plenty of hitters like to step out of the box for endless batting-glove adjustments.But overall, forcing pitchers to keep throwing with minimal pauses seems like it would help batters stay in rhythm and keep their timing sharp.In 1969, MLB lowered the regulation height of the pitcher's mound from 15 inches to 10 inches. But according to a 2018 Boston University study, batters are unfairly impacted by umps' capricious calls, especially with two strikes.According to the study, which analyzed data from Baseball Savant, Pitch F/X and Statcast between 2008-2018, umpires called a rulebook ball a strike nearly 30 percent of the time in two-strike at-bats.Eliminating human error could go a long way toward cutting down on strikeouts—or at least making the strike zone consistent and fair.It's unclear exactly when, how and how much MLB has altered its baseballs in recent years.