Major League Baseball

New MLB rule: Glove laces no longer good enough for a tag

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:56 p.m. ET

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NEW YORK (AP) Major League Baseball has made several minor rule changes for this season, including one that covers tag plays when a runner is touched only by the laces of a fielder's glove.

The tweaks were announced Friday in an 11-minute video produced by MLB.

The video showed a play in which Houston second baseman Jose Altuve touched a sliding runner with the hanging laces from his glove. In the past, that was called an out; now, that won't be enough to count as a tag.

That kind of play drew attention when it was seen on slow-motion replays during umpire reviews. The Playing Rules Committee discussed all of the changes, which were approved by owners, umpires and the players' union.

Also, the top-to-bottom length of a first baseman's mitt and a fielder's glove was increased by an inch to 13 inches.

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