MLB owners voted Thursday to enforce a new rule requiring coaches to stay in their designated boxes until the pitch is thrown, aiming to curb pitch tipping practices. The measure, approved by the league's competition committee, addresses concerns that coaches' movements along the baselines allowed teams to decode pitchers' tells. Coaches now risk ejection for violating the rule, which permits exceptions only for safety reasons.

The change follows heightened scrutiny after Game 7 of last year's World Series, where both the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers faced scrutiny over coaching staff behavior. Umpires will warn violators first, with repeat offenses leading to removal from the game.