How the Nats stand to benefit from universal DH in 2022 originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
After 48 seasons of the designated hitter only being used in the American League, the universal DH is all but guaranteed to be instituted in 2022. The National League temporarily adopted the DH in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a press conference Thursday that MLB’s owners had agreed to include the universal DH in its CBA proposals for this season and beyond.
“We’ve agreed to a universal designated hitter and the elimination of draft-choice compensation,†Manfred said. “These changes will improve the free agent market by creating additional jobs that are often filled by veteran players and by reducing, actually eliminating, the drag from compensation.â€
For the Nationals, the addition of a DH slot to their lineup likely won’t mean a hitter is going to suddenly get 150 starts at the position — at least among those currently in…