KBO announces raft of rule changes, revamps national team management

Players from the Dream All-Stars and Nanum All-Stars watch a fireworks display at the end of the KBO All-Star Game at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on July 15. [NEWS1]

The Korea Baseball Organization announced a range of upcoming rule and organizational changes last week in an effort to improve the efficiency of league games and the performance of the national team.

The KBO announced during the All-Star break on Thursday last week that it will adopt the pitch clock and ghost-runner system currently in use in the Majors in Korea from 2025.

The MLB currently runs a 15-second pitch clock on pitchers with the bases empty and a 20-second clock with runners on base. The KBO will first trial a similar system in the Futures League next season, before implementing it in the KBO.

The introduction of the pitch clock in the United States has significantly improved the pace of games, with the average KBO game now running more than 30 minutes longer than a major league game.

The ghost-runner system is also already in use in the majors and also in Korea’s Futures League, where it was introduced last year. The new rule, also to be introduced in 2025, puts an automatic runner on first base when a game is pushed into extra innings to speed up games.

Like the majors, the KBO will also introduce a rule that requires all four infielders to be within the infield at the start of every play. Infielders will also be required to be spread across the diamond — two on either side of second base — to prevent teams from sending their shortstop deep or crowding one side of the field to try and combat sluggers.

The other major rule change will see the KBO introduce the three-batter minimum introduced in the majors in 2020. Under the revised pitching rule, every pitcher will be required to either face at least three batters or close out a half inning before they can be replaced, unless injured. The rule is also intended to speed up games.

As well as the league changes, the KBO also announced plans to completely revamp how it handles the Korean national team.

The league plans to appoint a permanent manager to oversee the national team, a radical change from the current system of picking a KBO manager and calling up a brand new squad whenever an international tournament comes around.

The new manager will have a permanent coaching staff and the KBO will try to schedule friendly international game to allow the team to get more practice — including possible against the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres when they visit Korea next year.

The decision to formalize the national team comes after a series of disappointing results for Korea in recent international tournaments. Korea crashed out of the group stage of the World Baseball Classic for the third tournament in a row in March this year, and finished a disappointing fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

As well as the permanent rule changes, the KBO also announced Thursday that the league will begin scheduling canceled weekend games the following Monday from Aug. 5.

In the event that multiple weekend games are canceled, one will be played on Monday and the others at a later date — typically in a busy few weeks at the end of the regular season.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]