(RADIO.COM Sports) MLB hasn't officially told teams whether the designated hitter will return to the National League in 2021, but the league has suggested to organizations that they shouldn't expect it to be in place for the upcoming season.
The league has "instructed clubs in a memo last week to proceed under the assumption the DH will not be used in the NL this year," MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported.
The memo isn't MLB announcing that the DH won't be universal in 2021. Instead, it's the league more or less telling teams not to hold their breath as negotiations go on between it and the player's association. If MLB gets the concession that it wants -- it's an expanded postseason field for a second year year, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reported -- then the DH will return. If not, who knows.
The long-held expectation in the sport is that the DH will become universal on a permanent basis as part of the new collective bargaining agreement that will need to be in place before the 2022 season. But it's not part of the current CBA, so MLB and MLBPA would need to reach a separate agreement for the DH to return to the NL in 2021.
In addition to NL teams being in limbo as they try to construct their rosters for 2021, multiple free agents are waiting to see if they could be of service to the other half of the league. Nelson Cruz, for example, has hit 417 home runs in his career, but he's strictly a DH at age 40. Other free agents like Marcell Ozuna, Kyle Schwarber and Joc Pederson would benefit from being able to DH on a part-time basis for NL teams, even if they're also capable of playing in the outfield.
Perhaps we'll get a resolution on whether the DH will return in the NL for a second consecutive season during the virtual MLB Winter Meetings this week. But buckle up, because we didn't learn about postseason expansion for the 2020 season until it was literally Opening Day. The negotiations over the DH could drag out in a similar manner.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports
Twitter | Facebook I Instagram
