Baseball is one of America’s oldest sports, with its beginnings found in the 19th century. At one moment in time, it was indeed labeled as “America’s pastime”. However, as time progressed, the popularity of baseball began to decline. Major League Baseball faces a difficult problem, and as such, an inquiry has arisen about how to adapt and grow the sport for the modern day and the modern fan alike. One of these propositions in current discussion is establishing the designated hitter (DH) rule as a universal law, applying it to both the American League, in which it was already in practice, and the National League, where it is currently not in practice. This new concept would prove to be more detrimental than helpful. The concept of a league-wide designated hitter in the MLB must be removed from thought as it denies opportunity, takes away from the strategic element, lowers the appeal for fans, and creates a false worry for injury.

First, the universal DH rule would deny many opportunities for up-and-coming players. The current DH role within the American League has been taken up by older players, such as Nelson Cruz. In fact, the majority of the current AL grouping of designated hitters is above the age of 35, an age that would not be considered young in the sport. These players often do not take a defensive role on the field, therefore limiting the versatility and usefulness to just hitting. Denying the younger players opportunities would indeed be harmful for the growth  and progression of the sport, which this new proposed rule is supposed to do in the first place (Piccioto). These current veteran players fill up the batting order and take the place of many spots from which the younger players could benefit.

Second, the universal DH rule would take away from the strategic role of the manager. The reality is, having a spot in the batting order in which the pitcher, who typically does not bat very efficiently or effectively, is at the plate with runners on base in a crucial moment of the game provides an extremely difficult decision to make. Does the manager remove the pitcher in favor of a better hitter? What if the pitcher is on the top of his game, and has typically shown to only get better as the game goes on? Matchups and depth for both the bullpen and the bench must be considered, too. The manager cannot exhaust all resources for one at-bat in an important situation, or, the manager could view momentum as a bigger factor in the moment and send a pinch-hitter for the pitcher anyway. These are just a mere handful of varying, strategic inquiries and motives for decisions involved on a game-to-game basis with the current rules in place. Intricacies like these instances are what make the game of baseball appealing to fans. Adding a universal DH would simplify the process, that is undeniable (“Why Baseball's Designated Hitter Should Be Abolished”). However, it would ultimately hamper the abilities and the decision-making of the manager. 

Third, the universal DH rule does not do what it is intended to do, which is raise the appeal for both old and new fans. Viewing a pitcher bat provides an opportunity for surprise for fans. Because they are not a typical batter, pitchers do not allow fans the expectation of a hit or any other offensive contribution. However, on the rare occasion of a hit or another positive action, fans are consistently leaving one eye open, hoping for the impossible to occur (“Why Baseball's Designated Hitter Should Be Abolished”). Add to that, the traditional idea and concept of baseball would be left intact as it stands right now. Meaning that everyone plays defense, and everyone gets to hit. Some former and current pitchers in Major League Baseball would agree with this idea of traditional baseball. Clayton Kershaw, a current pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, gave his thoughts on pitchers batting, saying, “Baseball is a two-sided game, offense and defense. I think you should have to play both even if you’re not good at one”. Former Atlanta Braves and New York Mets pitcher Tom Glavine also shared his opinion on the matter, saying that “...I still feel like it allows for way more strategy in the National League...” (Blinder, Miller). One can clearly see that when referring to entertainment and traditional value, a universal DH would take away from the appeal of baseball.

Finally, the argument in favor of the universal designated hitter indicates that it would cut down on pitcher injuries, and that is inherently false. The reason being, pitchers normally hit last in the order, limiting their potential at-bats to only 1 or 2, which shows how rare an injury at the plate can occur for a pitcher. Another facet to the argument is that pitchers could get injured while running the bases. This could realistically happen to any player, not just pitchers. Also, pitchers consistently cover first base on typical groundout plays, which provides an injury risk as well, and yet there is no argument to remove that practice from the game. The fact of the matter is, risk of injury exists in baseball, as with the majority of sports, and no matter what rules or modifications are put in place, that risk will still exist in some form (Knight). There is a falsehood that exists when bringing up the risk of injuries to pitchers, and it should not be a factor in considering the universal DH.

It is understandable for Major League Baseball to search for ways to grow with the modern audience; it is common logic to adapt and change with the progression of time, even when dealing with something in the entertainment world like sports. However, the universal designated hitter would not immediately and effectively solve the problem. In actuality, this new rule would be unnecessary, disadvantageous, and ultimately harmful for the sport of baseball and its fans, both old and new. The concept of a league-wide designated hitter in the MLB must be removed from thought as it denies opportunity, takes away from the strategic element, lowers the appeal for fans, and creates a false worry for injury.

Works Cited

Blinder, Alan, and Miller, Scott. “Universal DH Could Spell End of Hitting Pitchers.” New York Times, 10 Oct. 2021, pg. 30. 

Knight, Liam. “Why the Universal DH Is a Bad Idea.” Overtime Heroics, 13 May 2020, overtimeheroics.net/2020/05/13/why-the-universal-dh-is-a-bad-idea/. Accessed 20 November 2021.

Piccioto, Elad De. “Should Major League Baseball Get Rid of Designated Hitters?” Theperspective.com/, 29 Oct. 2021, theperspective.com/debates/sports/major-league-baseball-get-rid-designated-hitters/. Accessed 4 November 2021.

“Why Baseball's Designated Hitter Should Be Abolished.” Pinstripe Alley, Pinstripe Alley, 28 Nov. 2011, pinstripealley.com/2011/11/28/2528159/why-baseballs-designated-hitter-should-be-abolished. Accessed 4 November 2021.