Adam Kolarek (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

by Cary Osborne

Goodbye LOOGY and crowded dugouts in September. Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday a slew of new rules for the 2020 season.

Three-batter minimum: Starting and relief pitchers must now pitch to a minimum of three batters in an inning, or until the side is retired, unless the pitcher suffers an injury or illness and can no longer continue. This rule obviously impacts relief pitchers known as LOOGYs (left-handed, one-out guys), and it obviously points to a pitcher like Adam Kolarek. Out of 26 games last season with the Dodgers, the left-handed reliever faced one batter in 16 of the games. The Dodgers had 43 occurrences last season of a pitcher throwing to one batter in a game. Eight teams had more, including Arizona, which led baseball with 61 occurrences.

Rosters from Opening Day to Aug. 31 and the postseason: Teams can now carry 26 players on the active roster — up from 25 — with a maximum of 13 pitchers. The Dodgers will now have a guaranteed 13 position players on the roster at all times.

September rosters: Clubs are now required to have 28 players on the active roster with a maximum of 14 pitchers from Sept. 1 till then end of the regular season. Teams could have as many as 40 in the past, allowing for prospects to get a taste of the Major Leagues. Gavin Lux was called up on Sept. 2 last year when there were already 28 players on the active roster. Now, quality and need are bigger factors when teams expand the rosters.

Two-way player designation: A two-way player can pitch in a game and won’t count against a clubs’ pitcher roster limitations. Two-way players had to have pitched at least 20 big league innings and started at least 20 games as a position player/designated hitter with at least three plate appearances in those games in the 2019 or 2018 seasons.

Position players pitching: Russell Martin appeared as a pitcher in four games last season — all when the Dodgers were ahead or behind by six runs. Kiké Hernández appeared in an extra-inning game in 2018. Position players can still pitch in games, but following the ninth inning of an extra-inning game, or in any game in which his team is losing or winning by more than six runs.

Extra-player rule: Teams can now have 27 active players instead of 26 for a doubleheader.

Injured list and option for pitchers: Pitchers must now be on the injured list for 15 days instead of 10. Pitchers who are optioned to the minor leagues have to stay for 15 days, up from 10, unless he is replacing a player who has been placed on the injured list.

Replay Challenge: Managers now have 20 seconds to decide if they want to challenge a call, down from 30 seconds.