2020 MLB Safety Rules Mean the Astros Got off Easy Yet Again

If there is going to be baseball in 2020, the latest batch of temporary rule changes will hurt the Los Angeles Dodgers the most, and will let the Houston Astros get off relatively scot-free.

The rule changes meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus include a temporary ban on any sort of physical contact outside of the normal machinations of a game, including spitting, high-fives, and showering at the ballpark. Fights will obviously be legislated harder than in the past, as the league tries to prevent a player from getting infected. Basically, they're not happening. Would anyone dare instigate a brawl in this environment?

If play resumes, and the MLB moves forward with three 10-team divisions, that means the physical contact between any two teams destined for a brawl will be kept to a minimum. Unfortunately, we might not see a Dodgers-Astros fight this year due to these rules, even if they will play each other more than they usually do this shortened season.

Imagine suddenly landing in Houston's division and being unable to fight them? Another bad break for the LAD.

Fans hoping to see Walker Buehler take the law into his own hands by giving Jose Altuve a little chin music and starting a complete brawl might need to wait until 2021, when social distancing rules are relaxed and teams will be free to slug it out as much as they want.

Naturally, with the entire league poised to beat up on Houston, MLB was forced to restrict travel, keeping the Yankees away, and had to legislate brawls out of the game for safety reasons. Of course.