The 2023 World Baseball Classic Playoffs have a distinct set of rules from the MLB Playoffs. The tournament starts similarly to the World Cup with a round-robin style from which teams must advance before facing a battle in single elimination games. To speed up the conclusion of games, there are unique extra-innings rules that include pitch counts for participating pitchers. The intention is to prevent injuries from occurring to as many players as possible who will participate in the MLB regular season.
Rosters for the 2023 World Baseball Classic are set! The star-studded event is scheduled to include 67 MLB All-Stars; 16 of the top 18 players in 2022 NL MVP voting; and 6 of the top 10 players in 2022 AL MVP voting. #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/rk5bAemjdV
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) February 10, 2023
There are several rules that the players should follow in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. These rules Include
Roster Rule: A proposed Final Roster of no more than 30 players, including one manager and seven uniformed coaches, must be submitted to WBCI by each Federation Team on or by February 7, 2023. Each player on the Final Roster must have been on the team’s Available Player List. A final roster that has been approved must have two catchers and at least 14 pitchers.
Designated Pitcher Pool: Every Federation Team is allowed to choose a designated pool of 10 pitchers who are qualified to compete in one or more consecutive rounds. The Federation Team must have one or two pitchers from the designated pitcher pool on its final roster to use the designated pitcher pool.
Player Eligibility: Every person included on a Federation Team’s authorized Provisional Roster must be qualified to represent that Federation Team. A player will only be eligible in this way if:
- The player had previously started a World Baseball Classic qualifier or tournament round on a Federation Team’s final roster.
- The player has a valid passport three months before the Tournament’s commencement, proving that they are a citizen of the Federation Team’s nation or territory.
- According to paperwork acceptable to the World Baseball Softball Confederation (“WBSC”) and WBCI, the player is currently a legitimate permanent resident of the nation or territory of the Federation Team.
- A birth certificate or its equivalent serves as proof that the player was born in the nation or territory of the Federation Team.
- A passport or other document that is acceptable to WBCI and the WBSC serves as proof that the player has at least one parent who is, or was, a citizen of the Federation Team’s nation or territory.
Player Restrictions Per MLB Club: Unless an MLB Club notifies WBCI in writing that it does not disagree with allowing additional players to participate, WBCI will not approve a player’s participation in the Tournament if doing so would result in an MLB Club has more than 15 players from its organization or more than 10 of its players who were on any MLB Club’s Major League Active or Injured List as of August 31, 2022.
Injured Personnel: If a player, manager, or coach is hurt and the WBCI confirms that the player, manager, or coach has a specific injury or illness that prevents the player, manager, or coach from continuing to participate in all or part of the Tournament, the Federation Team may replace the player, manager, or coach on its Final Roster.
Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency/Paternity Leave: No player may be granted bereavement, family medical emergency, or paternity leave unless they are unable to perform their duties due to the serious or severe illness or death of a member of their immediate family (spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, child, or grandchild), of their spouse’s immediate family, or of any other family member that WBCI determines is consistent with the spirit of this bereavement, family medical emergency leave policy.