April 5 (Reuters) - Some key dates and changes being put in place for the 2022 Major League Baseball season:

Aug. 11 - MLB at Field of Dreams (Cubs vs. Reds in Iowa)

Starting this year, the National League will adopt the designated hitter rule, meaning pitchers in the NL will no longer be required to hit. A designated hitter -- or "DH" -- does not take the field on defense.

The universal DH was installed for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season before the NL reverted to its traditional rules for 2021. But going forward, pitchers will no longer have a spot in the batting order.

The October playoff field has been expanded to 12 teams (six in each league) from 10 teams (five in each league) starting this year with three division winners and three Wild Card teams in each league.

The top two division winners in each league will receive byes to the Division Series. The other four teams in each league will play best-of-three series in what will be called the Wild Card round, with the higher seed hosting all three games.

This season marks the start of a new era for Cleveland's MLB team, which last July announced they will change their name to Guardians from the Indians, which Native American groups had long viewed as disparaging.

Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris

Source: Reuters

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