Baseball notebook: Manfred says games can go at a quicker pace – STLtoday.com

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says more rule changes are needed to improve the pace of play, and one proposal under consideration is a limitation on relief pitching changes in an inning or a game.

The majors shaved several minutes off the average game time last season, but games have been slightly longer in 2016.

“We’ve slipped back a little bit this year, and pace of play is one of those issues where we’re going to continually need to evaluate the rules we have,” Manfred said. “And we’re going to need to continually work with our players to stay focused on the issue.”

Manfred has said he’s in favor of a limitation on relief pitchers but didn’t lobby for it Wednesday.

“We look at all aspects of the game all the time,” he said. “I don’t want to put particular emphasis on that one.”

Manfred spoke at Marlins Park in Miami, where he helped unveil the logo for the 2017 All-Star Game. It will be played next July 11, with the Marlins hosting the game in their 25th season.

“Miami is going to be a great venue,” Manfred said. “We had a wonderful experience in San Diego, and I know Miami is going to top that.”

Rangers get two pitchers from Braves • Texas acquired righthander Lucas Harrell and lefthander Dario Alvarez from the Atlanta Braves for a minor league infielder.

The AL West-leading Rangers traded Travis Demeritte to the Braves.

The Rangers had one open spot on their 40-man roster, and designated Triple-A Round Rock infielder Matt Duffy for assignment to create another spot.

Harrell, from Ozark (Mo.) High, is 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five starts for the Braves since getting called up from Triple-A Gwinnett earlier this month. Before playing in Korea last season, he appeared in 88 games from 2011-14 for the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros.

Alvarez was 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 16 relief appearances for Atlanta this season.

Season-ending neck surgery for Fielder • Texas slugger Prince Fielder will have his season-ending surgery Friday to repair a herniated disk in his neck.

The surgery will be performed in Dallas by Dr. Drew Dossett, who two years ago did a cervical fusion of two disks just below the area that is bothering Fielder now.

Fielder has hit a career-low .212 with eight homers and 44 RBIs in 89 games this season.

Frustrated Royals brace for changes • Late Tuesday night, in the moments after another loss, in a clubhouse that had turned introspective and quiet, Jarrod Dyson stopped near a table in the middle of the room. He slipped a backpack over his shoulders and wore a frustrated look on his face. He pondered a season that suddenly appeared in free fall.

The Kansas City Royals had dropped to 48-51, a season-low three games under .500 after being trounced 13-0 by the Los Angeles Angels. The trade deadline loomed less than six days way. The specter of change hung in the clubhouse of the defending World Series champions.

“We don’t give a (darn) about that,” Dyson said. “That’s probably the last thing we’re worried about. You can’t worry about deadline trades when you’re a player. It’s not in your control. So there’s no sense in worrying about it.”

As the Royals entered the final day of a nine-game homestand on Wednesday, they sat in fourth place in the American League Central, 9½ games behind first-place Cleveland. They looked up at seven teams in the wild-card race.