@article{ref1,
title="Evaluating the Chase Utley rule: the association between a rule change and collision-related injuries in Major League Baseball",
journal="Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine",
year="2022",
author="Tanenbaum, Joseph E. and Knapik, Derrick M. and Karns, Michael R. and Salata, Michael J. and Gillespie, Robert J. and Voos, James E.",
volume="10",
number="4",
pages="e23259671221090899-e23259671221090899",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Major League Baseball (MLB) adopted a rule change in 2016 to reduce the number of collisions that occur when a player slides into a base. The effect of rule 6.01(j) has not been quantified, and it remains unknown if this rule change has led to improved player safety.   HYPOTHESIS: Rule 6.01(j) would be associated with a reduction in the number of collision-related injuries at second base. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. <br><br>METHODS: Using data from the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System, we quantified the number of collision-related injuries for defensive (ie, fielding) players in the infield at the major and minor league levels between the 2010 and 2019 seasons. We compared the median number of collision-related injuries for defensive players in the infield from before (2010-2015) to after (2016-2019) the implementation of rule 6.01(j) and also calculated the difference in location of the median from the seasons before versus after the rule change. An additional 3 analyses were performed to support or contradict a conclusion that any observed reduction in injuries at the start of the 2016 season was likely caused by the adoption of rule 6.01(j). <br><br>RESULTS: The median number of collision-related injuries for defensive players at second base decreased from 58.5 to 37.5 injuries per season after the rule change, which was a 36% decrease (difference in location, 19.5 [95% CI, 5.0 to 31.0]; P =.019). In contrast, the median number of collision-related injuries at first base decreased by only 14.1%, from 49.5 before to 42.5 after the rule change (difference in location, -9.0 [95% CI, -4.0 to 18.0]; P =.16), and the median number of collision-related injuries per season at third base was unchanged at 15 per season. <br><br>CONCLUSION: This rule change was associated with a decrease in the number of collision-related injuries, with the largest effect observed at second base, as expected.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2325-9671",
doi="10.1177/23259671221090899",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/23259671221090899"
}