New Padres Utility Man Matt Carpenter Excited for Rule Changes After Early Skepticism

Carpenter got to experience them early in Minor League and feels ready.

The 2023 MLB season will bring forth some changes that we haven't really seen before. Bases will increase in size, there will be a pitching timer, and strict limits will be placed on defensive shifts. Fans of the game along with players haven't responded too kindly to the upcoming adjustments and they will likely take time for them to get used to.

However, the Friars are welcoming in someone who has already got a head start playing matches that incorporate these rules in Matt Carpenter. The 37-year-old infielder played with the Round Rock Express, prior to a successful stint with the Yankees, and got to be apart of an experiment by the MLB.

In a media session with "97.3 The Fan", Carpenter was not shy to let it be known that he is hyped for these new rules to be apart of the sport.

Matt Carpenter discusses some of the new rule changes coming to MLB this season, including the ban on shifting: “My eyes tell me that there’s 10 or so hits every year that I felt like get taken away…that’s a big number.” pic.twitter.com/7qpGOUZTJJ

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) February 19, 2023

"I'm excited, I think they're great and going to be good for baseball and I think they're going to be great for the fans," said Carpenter. "I also think there will be an adjustment period, guys will get frustrated early. I got to see firsthand in AAA last year, playing down there and getting to watch it. By the end of it, I was a big fan."

The MLB has carefully decided to make these rules official in order to speed up the game, increase offense for teams, and prioritize the safety of their players. The shift ban especially will make it tough for defenses to use similar strategies from the past and their speed and athleticism will play massive roles now.

When eluding to the shift ban, Carpenter expressed that he believes his statistics will now improve thanks to it.

"The shift, I don't think it surprised anybody that it definitely hinders offense especially for a left-handed pull-hitter like myself," said Carpenter. "My eyes tell me that there's 10 or so hits every year that I felt like get taken away... that's a big number."