Publication

This paper examines the designated hitter (DH) rule in professional baseball and its effect on team defensive strategies. The authors use data and empirical findings from two Japanese professional baseball leagues - Pacific League and Central League. They employ regression tests of hypotheses that explain the increase in hit-batsmen under the DH rule. Their results show that the DH rule prompts a shift in team defensive strategy, leading to more aggressive pitching and more hit-batsmen.