What Does MVR mean in Baseball? (The Best Clarification)

If you follow a game but don’t understand a few key abbreviations then it becomes very difficult to monitor it properly. Like all other games, baseball too has some terms which require a proper clarification.

We have already written guide on PO, LOB etc, and today I am going to explain what does MVR mean in baseball?

MVR means Mound Visits Remaining. MVR was introduced by MLB in 2018 to limit the number of mound visits and to speed up the play’s action during a nine-inning game.

Mound visits help the teams and managers to meet and plan a strategy against the batter. It is similar to the strategic time-out in cricket innings.

What Does MVR mean in Baseball (A Proper Guide)

MVR is the short form of Mound Visits Remaining. In a baseball game, the Mound Visit is nothing but a timeout to discuss strategies against the batter. It helps the bowling team manager to give special inputs to his players. But there is a limit to it, so that it doesn’t hamper the speed of the game.

MVR simply reflects the number of how many mound visits are remaining during a nine-inning games of a baseball match. Every team needs to plan in advance how they are going to make full use of it, and that’s why it is very important factor indeed.

What qualifies as a mound visit?

Whenever a manager or a coach trip visits pitcher is qualified for a mound visit. An umpire may count a mound visit if a player and pitcher meet each other at any position in the ground and any length, leaving their respective field and mound.

A manager, coach, or player joining a progressive mound visit will not be counted as a fresh mound visit. The purpose of a mound visit is to strategize on how to pitch to a batter, what’s the pitcher’s opinion on the mound, whether there needs to be a change in pitching, etc.

The duration of a mound visit is limited to 30 seconds. If exceeded, the umpire will notify to break up the meeting. During a mound visit, the home plate umpire has to signal and inform about the remaining mound visits to the press box.

Is there a limit to mound visits in MLB?

In 2018, the MLB limited the number of mound visits to five per team for a nine-inning game. In addition, each mount visit is limited to 30 seconds at the max. An additional mount visit is allotted to each team whenever an extra inning needs to be played.

What happens if a team makes too many mound visits?

If a position player surpasses the limit of allotted mound visits and makes an extra visit, results in the player’s rejection if he doesn’t return to his position after a warning by the umpire. In this situation, only the removal of the player is allowed, leaving the pitcher unharmed for any action.

Does injury count as a mound visit?

No, if any manager, coach, or player visits the pitcher to check on a potential injury is not counted as a mound visit. Typically, as any rule has exceptions, this one is a fine example as this visit is exempted from being counted as a mound visit.

What happens if you run out of mound visits?

The catcher may request the umpire for an extra mound visit in case of any cross-up occurs between him and the pitcher if no valid mound visits are remaining. The umpire may grant a brief visit in such a case.

Penalty for too many mound visits

If the manager, coach, or player violates the rule of exceeding the team’s allotted number of mound visits, can be removed from the game.

Mound visit rules MLB 2022

The coaching staff members and manager is entitled to one mound visit per pitcher per inning keeping the same pitcher in the game. Removal of the pitcher from the game happens if he is visited twice in one inning. 

The duration of mound visits is limited to 30 seconds or less and is initiated when the coach or manager exits the dugout, and the umpire grants them the time.

A mound visit is regarded as complete, once the coach or manager leaves the 18-foot circle around the pitching rubber, despite being permitted to leave the area temporarily to notify the umpire about the substitution.

In this scenario, the coach or manager, though returns back to the mound and isn’t counted as an extra mound visit.

Within a game of nine innings, five mound visits are allowed. An extra visit can be allotted to each team in case of an extra inning needs to be played. 

The following mound visits are exempted and aren’t counted as visits.

• Any coach, manager, or player visits the mound to clean cleats during rains.
• In case the manager or player wants to check on a potential injury.
• After the announcement of an offensive substitution.
• General communication between a pitcher and player without vacating the pitcher’s position or the player’s field.
• In case of a cross-up between the pitcher and the player.

MVR stat 2022

If you were curious about what the MVR stat on the scoreboard is; it denotes the Mound Visit Remaining. To summarize, it indicates how many times the manager, coaching staff, or other players on the offensive team have approached the mound to meet their pitcher.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

MVR stands for Mound Visit Remaining. The MVR was limited to 5 visits per nine-inning end to speed up the game. It also allowed the teams to strategize beforehand, as the ground time was left less due to the new rule. It also limited the frequency to disrupt the game in between.