‘Ghost runner’ in extra innings made permanent by MLB

By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Starting extra innings with a runner on second base during the regular season was made a permanent rules change by Major League Baseball after three seasons of use during the coronavirus pandemic. Use of position players as pitchers also was tightened by the joint competition committee. They will be limited to extra innings, when a player’s team is losing by eight or more runs or is winning by 10 or more runs in the ninth inning. Last year, a position player could pitch only in extra innings or if his team was losing or winning by six or more runs.