Commissioner Rob Manfred and Major League Baseball have made several notable adjustments and additions to the game over the last few years, such as the pitch timer in an effort to improve the pace of play, putting a runner on second base in extra innings, and most recently, implementing the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System.
WFAN radio host Evan Roberts thinks another massive change is coming to MLB, and like the runner-on-second addition, it would be a rule reminiscent of Little League.
On Thursday, Roberts predicted that MLB will add a mercy rule “as soon as next year.”
“This change will occur as soon as next year with the next CBA, and by [the end of the decade],” Roberts told WFAN co-host Shaun Morash. “You want to know what that is? And I’m dead set against it. Mercy rules.”
“It’s gonna happen, and I’ll tell you why,” Roberts continued. “[Wednesday night] was a great example of it. The Mets gave up in the sixth inning of the game. And after the game, Andy Green was asked about it, and he said, “Hey, we’re trying to win the series tomorrow.’ Like, he admitted, ‘Hey, we’re not winning this game. We want to win tomorrow. We’re gonna take Lindor out. We’re gonna play the infield back. We are gonna ask pitchers to take one for the team.'”
Evan predicts a mercy rule is coming to MLB, as early as next season👀@EvanRobertsWFAN pic.twitter.com/PDIFpyrsas
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) August 27, 2026
“And I think the more we see that from managers, and the more that attitude continues to occur… They’re gonna approve a mercy rule,” Roberts added. “It’s coming.”
To Roberts’ point, MLB teams are increasingly thinking about the bigger picture and preserving pitching staffs or resting star players over chasing wins when down many runs. And in 2023, MLB added new rules to reduce the number of position players pitching; position players can enter to pitch only when a team is trailing by at least 8 runs at any point in the game, or while leading by at least 10 runs in the ninth inning.
Could a mercy rule be next?
Maybe someday, but that still seems unlikely in the short term.
There are already enough people who have an issue with the runner-on-second rule, and adding a mercy rule to end the game early would only cause more uproar.
Additionally, fans pay a premium to get nine innings of baseball at the ballpark, and organizations count on concession sales as a major source of revenue. And TV networks and their advertisers also want to deliver a full experience.
And there would likely be pushback from the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), with players losing the opportunity to get a full statistical workload if games are shortened.
So, it would be surprising if Roberts’ prediction proves correct, but Manfred has already shown he’s willing to make controversial changes to the sport.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at Awful Announcing and The Comeback.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@awfulannouncing.com.