MLB Insider Reports ‘Growing Belief’ Among GMs That NL Will Implement DH in 2021

Baseball purists will surely not be happy with the latest inklings of possible changes to the sport.

For years now, baseball fans have debated as to whether the National League should follow suit of the AL and implement a designated hitter. Well, that debate may come to an end sooner than anticipated.

MLB Insider Jim Bowden reports that general managers around the NL have a "growing belief" that DH's will be implemented into the NL "as early as 2021."

There is a growing belief amongst NL GM’s that the DH will be instituted for NL as early as 2021. FWIW.
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenGM) January 27, 2020

With the league's collective bargaining agreement set to be renewed in 2021, this could be one of the significant changes which impacts the sport, and GMs seem to believe the rule change will end up occurring.

Baseball is becoming more offensive in nature, evidenced by the uptick in home runs over the past few seasons. While pitchers batting in the National League has been a tradition of the sport for generations, many feel it's outdated.

I loath the Designated Hitter Rule... However, here are some numbers which indicate that the NL *should* support the DH (as might occur in 2021). (via @birdsontheblack) https://t.co/4hbVyVytiB
— Adam Van Grack (@WhitewaterAtty) January 27, 2020

Should this rule change go into effect, National League teams will no longer be plagued by having to send their pitcher to the plate at key moments, or pinch-hit said pitcher in order to get a capable batter up.

Nothing's set in stone, but it looks like the National League's time without a designated hitter is coming a to a close.