Atlantic League batter steals first base in baseball's most intriguing rule change

Despite its independent-league status, the Atlantic League has recently acted as a de facto test dummy for its partnership with Major League Baseball. From replay to robot umps to pitch clocks, if it’s a change that MLB is considering, odds are that it happened first in the Atlantic League.

And now, players are allowed to steal first base.

Last week, the league announced a series of new rules that required a pitcher to step off the rubber for pickoffs, allowed the batter one foul bunt with two strikes before a strikeout is called and allowed a batter to steal first base on any wild pitch or passed ball.

Traditionalists likely hate all these changes and scream, “This is not baseball!” But I don’t know. After seeing the first steal of first base in action, I’m definitely intrigued.

This new rule puts more pressure on the pitcher to hit his sports and on the catcher to, uh, catch the baseball. This also adds a decision-making process for the batter. Does he want to take first base or keep hitting? It’s a similar choice Joey Gallo faces when he bats against a shift. Sure, he could bunt and take first base easily OR he could try to hit a dinger.

The rule change may seem unnecessary, but the more I think about it, the more I like it.