Starting in 2014, MLB outlawed catchers being able to block the plate with the exception of if they already had possession of the ball. It took some time for players to get over the confusion of the new rule because yes you still can make contact with the catcher if he's blocking the plate with the ball. You still see it today, as many home plate collisions rarely ever occur. Well, Los Angeles Dodgers Yasmani Grandal is probably the luckiest man on Earth because during Thursday's game against the Chicago Cubs he had Kyle Schwarber to deal with.
But again, this wasn't five years ago when anything could go down at home plate. Now, players have to be more careful to not break the rule. On a ball that got away from the Dodgers at third base, Schwarber raced home trying to score. So, instead of destroying the catcher, he decided to sneak his hand in safely on the plate, but was smacked in the face by the glove of Grandal.
Yet, if this was before the new collision rule at home plate, you know Schwarber would try to run right through Grandal. But this time around, it was Schwarber left bleeding.
Schwarber pre-collision rule would jack up catchers left and right.
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