Royals relievers unfazed by three-batter minimum that will take effect this year

Many Kansas City Royals relievers have mostly shrugged at the implementation of baseball’s new three-batter rule.

The rule, which will be introduced this season, aims to “reduce the number of pitching changes and, in turn, cut down the average time per game,” according to MLB.com. With the exception of injuries or illness, pitchers must face a minimum of three batters or finish out the half-inning once they enter a game.

While the move ignited plenty of discussion about the impact it might have — namely speculation that it will force left-handed specialists into extinction — several Royals relievers seemed unfazed.

“It’ll be a little bit of an adjustment,” right-hander Scott Barlow said. “But overall, every time you go out there you try to get them out no matter what, righty or lefty. It’s kind of something you just have to get used to.”

Left-hander Richard Lovelady agreed.

“I’d say when you come out of the bullpen, you’re already ready for three-plus more batters anyway,” Lovelady said. “It doesn’t really bother us.”

Sure, it might take some time to get used to, but closer Ian Kennedy said some relievers might see their value skyrocket because of the rule.

“It’s going to bring a value to guys — I think of myself, or I think of other right-handers — that can get guys out,” Kennedy said. “It’s going to bring value up for someone like (Royals left-hander) Tim Hill, who can get lefties and righties out.”

In an effort to speed up play, relievers will have to throw to, and get out, batters on both sides of the plate.

“It might be a little harsh but, if you don’t like it, get a right-hander out,” Kennedy said. “If you can’t get lefties out if you’re right-handed, learn how to get a left-hander out. We all did. Figure it out.”

Kennedy said that Hill — the side-arming southpaw — will become even more valuable. Hill appeared in 46 games last season for the Royals, and was stingy to both left-handed and right-handed hitters, holding them to a combined .217 average.

“For the most part, I think it’s good,” Kennedy said. “It makes those top left-handers even more valuable. They should get paid like those top left-handers, like any top reliever.”

Hill isn’t changing his approach because of the rule.

“I just think you have to get out everybody,” Hill said. “It’s just going to be a different strategy in it, so we’ll see how it plays out. I’m not going to go into it thinking any differently.”

First-year Royals manager Mike Matheny told a scrum of reporters Feb. 13 that the rule “changes strategically how we go about, one, selecting the roster and, two, how we implement it during the game.”

He said he has since stressed to his pitching staff the importance of being more than a “one-dimensional style pitcher,” and the need to learn how to use their stuff differently.

As for pace of play, it’s the least of worries for the Royals relievers, and an issue they don’t see as a deterrent to younger fans.

“For me, real baseball fans don’t really care if (the game) is 2 hours and 58 minutes or 3 hours and 5 minutes because they care about really good baseball,” Kennedy said. “A lot of times, it’s low scoring games. I enjoy low scoring games, whether I’m a pitcher or not.”

The average game time in 2019 was 3 hours and 5 minutes per nine innings, according to Baseball Reference. It hasn’t dipped under the three-hour mark since 2015.

In some instances, the relievers believe that what seems like an overwhelming need to speed up the game takes away from fans.

“When you go to a game, especially when I was a younger kid, if a game was over sooner than it should’ve been, you’re kind of sad and upset,” Barlow said. “I never minded if games went too long. If I’m paying for a ticket, I want to get my money’s worth. Usually, that didn’t bother me if a game went too long.”

“It’s a game,” Lovelady said, “it’s the way it’s always been.”