"There are elements of the game I don’t ever want to touch" - World Series-winning manager Theo Epstein comments on MLB rule changes

The 2022 season looks to be one of the most unique in MLB history, with a myriad of rule changes taking effect on Opening Day. Theo Epstein, one of the best general managers in baseball history, weighed in with his take on the direction the game is going.

Theo Epstein has proven himself to have a great mind for the game and his opinion on the state of play is highly valued throughout the league.

Two of the longest World Series droughts in baseball history were held by the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. Both were ended by teams put together by Epstein. Now employed as a consultant for the MLB, Epstein is working on improving the game to increase its popularity.

Jayson Stark of The Athletic shared the comments made by Theo Epstein via a tweet.

""When I hear people say, `Don't change the game. Leave it exactly the same,’ I totally get where that’s coming from. There are elements of the game I don’t ever want to touch." Theo Epstein hears you. He also know baseball needs to change."

Theo Epstein is trying to improve the MLB

MLB Opening Day will be the debut of new rules

Once the most popular sport in the United States, baseball has fallen in popularity for a multitude of reasons. Some of these are the fault of the MLB and others that are not.

The explosive growth of the NFL was not something Major League Baseball could have predicted. But allowing their product to grow stale and inability to create new stars is. Theo Epstein is trying to bring baseball to new heights with the rule changes implemented in 2022.

It's ironic that the man who was seen as the savior of long-suffering franchises is now in a position to be the savior of a long-suffering sports league, that looks to reclaim it's former glory. With rule changes that focus on speeding up the game and cutting down on the potential of cheating,

Theo Epstein's goal is to make baseball games more watchable, without compromising the integrity of the game. Ken Rosenthal is supportive of Epstein and contextualized his goals via a tweet.

"All those who say, “leave the game alone,” at least listen to what Theo Epstein has to say. He loves the game, too. And he only wants to make it better."

We won't know the impact these rule changes will have on ratings and overall popularity of the sport for at least a few years. But, it is reassuring that MLB and Theo Epstein are looking for ways to improve the product and ways to benefit the fans.