The new MLB pitch clock has been the highlight of the league’s new rule changes so far this spring, but it’s far from the only one. Another notable change is a rule that requires teams to have two infielders on each side of second base with their feet on the infield dirt. The purpose of that rule is to limit extreme shifts and increase offense.
Unlike the pitch clock, this rule leaves some room for interpretation. One of the first teams to find a workaround? The Boston Red Sox.
Facing the Twins in a spring training game over the weekend the Red Sox had a new look in store for Joey Gallo, a lefty and one of the most extreme pull-hitters in the league. As seen below, instead of moving an infielder over the Red Sox took their left fielder and put him where the third baseman usually would be in the over-shift.