Major League Baseball teams can now intentionally walk a batter without throwing a single pitch – Los Angeles Times

The players’ association has agreed to Major League Baseball’s proposal to have intentional walks without pitches this year.

While the union has resisted many of MLB’s proposed innovations, players are willing to accept the intentional walk change.

“As part of a broader discussion with other moving pieces, the answer is yes,” union head Tony Clark wrote Wednesday in an email to the Associated Press. “There are details, as part of that discussion, that are still being worked through, however.”

The union’s decision was first reported by ESPN. Agreement with the union is required for playing rules changes unless MLB gives one year’s advance notice, in which case it can unilaterally make alterations. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed hope Tuesday that ongoing talks would lead to an agreement on other changes but also said clubs would reserve the right to act unilaterally, consistent with the rule-change provision of the sport’s labor contract.