MLB Rosters Will Expand To 28 Players Through May 1 - True Blue LA

Skip to main contentSB NationSB Nation logoA Los Angeles Dodgers CommunityTrue Blue LAFebruary 17, 2026True Blue LANotificationsNotifications

• The Feed
• Sections
  • Game Threads
  • Game Coverage
  • Dodgers News
  • Minor Leagues
  • Dodgers Links
  • Dodgers History
  • All-Star Game
• Betting
  • FanDuel MLB Odds
  • FanDuel World Series Odds
  • Los Angeles Dodgers Odds
  • MLB Picks and Predictions
• Masthead
• About Us

Navigation Drawer

• Login / Sign Up

closeCloseSearch

• The Feed
• SectionsExpand
  • Game Threads
  • Game Coverage
  • Dodgers News
  • Minor Leagues
  • Dodgers Links
  • Dodgers History
  • All-Star Game
• BettingExpand
  • FanDuel MLB Odds
  • FanDuel World Series Odds
  • Los Angeles Dodgers Odds
  • MLB Picks and Predictions
• Masthead
• About Us
• Newsletters
• Community Guidelines
• All communities

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube
• RSS

True Blue LAMLB rosters will expand to 28 players through May 1NotificationsNotifications

• Dodgers news & notes

MLB rosters will expand to 28 players through May 1

A summary of rule changes for 2022

by Eric StephenMar 31, 2022, 5:44 PM UTC

• Facebook
• Link

Major League Baseball will have expanded rosters once the regular season begins, going from 26 to 28 players on the active rosters through May 1 to account for the condensed spring training after the 99-day lockout.

The league and the players union came to an agreement on a number of areas for the 2022 season, which was announced on Thursday. In addition to the 28-player rosters for April, other rules in place include the runner on second base for extra-inning games, and an amended designated hitter rule for two-way players that is basically a rule for Shohei Ohtani.

Expanded rosters

Instead of 26 players on the active roster to start the season, teams are allowed to have 28 active players through May 1. For the Dodgers, whose schedule starts April 8, that means 21 games with two extra players.

A caveat is that the 13-pitcher limit for the 26-man roster — a rule change approved before the 2020 season but done away with the last two seasons in the name of COVID-19 protocols — won’t extend proportionally to 28-man rosters, like it will in September when teams can carry 14 pitchers at most.

Considering that the whole point of expanded rosters in April is to alleviate that starting pitchers aren’t yet fully built up, it’s understandable that the extra roster spots would be used by arms. Dave Roberts said Thursday that the Dodgers are considering 15 or 16 pitchers on the opening day roster.

Option/injured list limits

The new collective bargaining agreement calls for a limit of five times a player can be optioned in one season. But per this agreement between players and owners, for 2022 only, any option that happens prior to May 2 won’t count toward that limit.

Another rule that was adopted in 2020, but scrapped over the last two years as part of COVID protocols, was that the period for pitchers when optioned or placed on the injured list is 15 days, unlike 10 days for position players.

But for 2022 only, any pitchers optioned or placed on the injured list before May 2 only need to be on option or on the IL for 10 days.

Automatic runner in extras

The free runner on second base to start each extra inning is back, a remnant of COVID-19 protocols the previous two seasons. The stated intent was to reduce extra wear on pitching staffs and rosters with longer games (by innings, not time). To that end, the automatic runner worked.

Extra-inning game lengths, 2018-2021

Years	Total games	End in 10 innings	End by 11th	End by 12th	13+ innings
2018-19	424	191 (45%)	293 (69%)	348 (82%)	76 (18%)
2020-21	284	202 (71%)	262 (92%)	279 (98%)	5 (2%)

Source: Baseball Reference

In 2020-21, 92 percent of all extra-inning games (the games that were scheduled for nine innings, at least) were decided by the 11th inning, compared to just 69 percent in 2018-19. In the last two seasons, with the automatic runner rule, only five games — just two percent of the total extra-inning games — lasted at least 13 innings. Four of those games went exactly 13 innings, with the lone outlier a 16-inning marathon between the Dodgers and Padres in San Diego last August 25.

Ohtani Rule

MLB has adapted the designated hitter rule, such that pitchers who bat for themselves can stay in the game after they are done pitching.

The added part of MLB Rule 5.11(a):

It is not mandatory that a Club designate a hitter for the pitcher. However, in the event the starting pitcher will bat for himself, the player will be considered two separate people for purposes of Rule 5.11(a). In such cases, the manager should list 10 players on his team’s lineup card, and this player should be named twice – once as the starting pitcher and once as the Designated Hitter. Thus, if the starting pitcher is replaced, he can continue as the Designated Hitter, and if the Designated Hitter is replaced, he can continue as the pitcher (but can no longer hit for himself). If the player is simultaneously replaced both as a starting pitcher and Designated Hitter, he cannot be replaced by another two-way player filling both roles as separate people (this can be done only once on the initial lineup card by identifying that the starting pitcher will bat for himself).

[Emphasis mine]

The Angels in their spring training lineup on Thursday did just that, listing Ohtani as both designated hitter and pitcher (with the caveat that after Jeff Fletcher’s tweet the rule was in fact approved and announced).

See More:

• Dodgers news & notes

True Blue LA

A daily roundup of Los Angeles Dodgers news

Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

More in Dodgers news & notes

Feb 16Tommy Edman will start season on ILFeb 16Dodgers sign Santiago Espinal to minors dealFeb 12Dodgers sign Keston Hiura on minors dealFeb 12Kiké Hernández back with DodgersFeb 9Dodgers 2026 bobblehead giveawaysFeb 9Dodgers spring preview: RotationDodgers news & notesFeb 16Dodgers news & notesFeb 16Tommy Edman will start season on IL

Dodgers infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman will start the season on the injured list after ankle surgery, Dave Roberts said, which opens a battle for second base.

By Eric StephenDodgers news & notesFeb 16Dodgers news & notesFeb 16Dodgers sign Santiago Espinal to minors deal

Dodgers signed veteran infielder Santiago Espinal to a minor league contract that includes a non-roster invitation to spring training.

By Eric StephenDodgers news & notesFeb 12Dodgers news & notesFeb 12Dodgers sign Keston Hiura on minors deal

Dodgers signed infielder Keston Hiura to a minor league contract that includes a non-roster invitation to spring training.

By Eric StephenDodgers news & notesFeb 12Dodgers news & notesFeb 12Kiké Hernández back with Dodgers

Longtime Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernández says he’s back with the team for 2026 with a post on Instagram.

By Eric StephenDodgers news & notesFeb 9Dodgers news & notesFeb 9Dodgers 2026 bobblehead giveaways

The initial list of 2026 Dodgers giveaways includes three different Shohei Ohtani bobbleheads and four different bobblheads depicting World Series Game 7.

By Eric StephenDodgers news & notesFeb 9Dodgers news & notesFeb 9Dodgers spring preview: Rotation

A look at a stacked Dodgers rotation heading into spring training, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Emmet Sheehan & more.

By Eric StephenAdvertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

The Latest

An hour agoDontrelle Willis returns to SportsNet LA boothTwo hours agoDodgers 2026 spring training NRIsTwo hours agoDodgers 2026 spring training broadcast schedule7:12 PM UTCHere Today, Gon-dola 2026: The Project limps on3:27 PM UTCWhat to expect from Andy Pages in 20261:08 PM UTCDodgers battle for second baseCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...