Changes for 2019
— Inning breaks will drop to two minutes for local (currently 2:05) and national (currently 2:25) broadcasts and mound visits will be reduced from six to five. Both are designed to quicken pace. In the case of mound visits, which were capped for the first time last year at six, this will continue to force decisions about the wisdom of early-game trips to the mound.
— The trade deadline is now July 31 — period. There will be no non-waiver deals after Aug. 1, like the one that sent Justin Verlander to the Astros in 2017 and Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees last season. The hope is that teams declare earlier if they are in or out and fewer teams quit (tank) on the season in the second half.
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nypost.com]
