Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said a designated hitter is not coming to the National League quite yet. Manfred said that league leadership is focused on pace-of-game changes for 2019 instead.
Manfred added that expanding the DH–which was suggested by players in response to the league's said desire to speed up games–will have to wait until the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is currently slated to take place before the 2022 season.
He said he is encouraged that the players' association responded to management’s proposal for a 20-second pitch clock and a three-batter minimum for a relief pitcher unless an inning ends.