KBO to Adopt International Rules for US Baseball
PitchClock to be introduced in the Futures League

Starting next year, the Korean Baseball Organization will introduce extra innings in its first division. As a result, ties will be eliminated unless games are suspended due to natural disasters such as heavy rain, earthquakes, or typhoons.

The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) announced the “KBO League-Team Korea Level Up Project” on Tuesday. The KBO described the project as a long-term, comprehensive plan to simultaneously raise the level of play in the league and the strength of the national baseball team and expand the baseball base.

The main thrust of the project is to apply a number of measures implemented in international competitions such as Major League Baseball (MLB) and the World Baseball Classic (WBC) to Korean baseball. The MLB introduced extra innings this year, and if a game is not won in nine regular innings, the offense starts in the 10th inning with a runner on second base. A KBO official said, “The details have not yet been decided, such as whether to start with runners on second base or first and second base. We will simulate various ways to find ways to add excitement to the game.” South Korea’s second-tier league, the Futures League, has been using extra innings since last year, with runners on first and second base.

The pitch clock, which MLB introduced this year to shorten the length of games, will be introduced first in the Futures League next year. Later this year, the KBO will install equipment to operate the pitch clock at all ballparks that host first and second division games. The KBO plans to implement the pitch clock in the Futures League next year, and then in the first team leagues as soon as possible.

The defensive shift limits adopted by MLB this year to preserve the dynamism of baseball will also be applied to the Futures League starting next year. The goal is to have it in place by 2025. A rule requiring pitchers to face a minimum of three batters will also be introduced in the Future League in 2024 and in the first division in 2025. The MLB and WBC already have this rule in place.

In the long term, the KBO is considering introducing an automated ball-strike system where robotic umpires call balls and strikes. It hasn’t decided if or when it will be implemented. The KBO also decided to reinstate the full-time managerial system to strengthen the international competitiveness of Korean baseball. 스포츠토토 Coaches will also be hired full-time to assist the manager.