What Does MVR Mean In Baseball? Explained!

When you watch a Major League Baseball (MLB) game, you will almost always notice several columns near the end of the line score when you look up at the enormous scoreboard in the outfield of the stadium. For both teams, there are the usual runs, hits, and errors. In some parks, there are also runners left on base (LOB) for both teams. However, a new column called MVR has appeared more recently.

So what takes place when a player visits the mound during play? In baseball, exactly what does MVR mean? Baseball’s MVR (also known as Mound Visits Remaining) stat counts how many more mound visits each team has left in the contest. Since 2018, it has been a part of Major League Baseball’s rules. In this article, we’ll discuss the MVR in baseball. Please keep reading.

What Does MVR Mean In Baseball?

The acronym MVR stands for the number of mound visits left in an MLB game. MLB is constantly looking for ways to quicken the action, and limiting stoppages during a game is one of those ways. In a nine-inning baseball game, each baseball team is limited to five visits to the mound as of 2018. Each team gets one more turn at the mound if a game goes into extra innings.

You can check out more information we have on What PO and a cycle mean in baseball.

What Qualifies As An MVR In Baseball?

MLB tracks a player’s time on the mound during a game in a few different ways. Consider that the New York Yankees are the opponent when the Tampa Bay Rays are playing. The Tampa Bay Rays coach exits the dugout during a pitching change to consult with a pitcher about strategy. Regarding the Tampa Bay Rays, that counts as one mound visit.

Another illustration would be if the shortstop for the New York Yankees ran out to the mound to speak with the pitcher. The meeting can be called if the pitcher appears anxious after allowing a home run or if the pitcher is a rookie and the veteran wants to check in to reassure them. That counts as one mound meeting for the Yankees, regardless of what occurs or how long it lasts.

Finally, a coach visiting the mound to speak with a pitcher counts as a mound visit.

Where Did The MVR System Come From?

Despite the fact that mound visits have always existed, they were essentially limitless until 2016. Coaches and managers would be the only ones whose visits would count, and since there would be no restrictions on the frequency or length of these encounters, any player could stop the action for as long as necessary to check on the pitcher without it counting as a visit. The only restriction was that a manager or coach could only visit the mound twice in a single inning to replace the pitcher.

Since longer games require longer breaks, visits are now limited to 30 seconds and include interactions between the pitcher and any teammate, not just coaches, and managers. This has forced teams to be more selective with their visits as of 2016.

After 2018, teams are only allowed a maximum of six trips to the plate during a nine-inning game, with an additional trip allowed for every extra inning. One year later, they reduced it to five and permitted free visits between the pitcher and one infielder at a time, provided that they did not result in a substitution.

But here’s the catch: Instead of making games shorter as MLB had hoped, limiting mound visits has made them longer. In 2001, Baseball Reference calculated that a complete baseball game should last two hours, and fifty-eight minutes. 20 years later, your average baseball game can last up to three hours and eight minutes approximately.

What Are Mound Visits In Baseball?

Understanding what a mound visit is according to the baseball rulebook is the first step in comprehending the MVR rule.

A mound visit is any time a coach or player other than the pitcher requests time to go to the pitcher’s mound in order to speak with the pitcher. The home plate umpire notifies the press box of how many more mound visits are left after each one that occurs.

There are a number of reasons why these discussions occur. The most frequent instances are when a pitcher is in trouble and the pitching coach visits in an effort to calm the pitcher’s nerves or when a catcher visits the pitcher when they cannot agree on a sign.

Sometimes, when the other team announces a pinch hitter late in a close game, a coach will go to the pitcher’s mound to give him the scouting report on the new batter.

Even less frequently, an infielder might go to the mound if they notice a problem with the pitcher’s mechanics or if they want to discuss defensive positioning or another tactical matter.

Additionally, the pitching coach may go out to the mound toward the end of a pitcher’s outing not only to calm down a pitcher who is in trouble but also primarily to stall in an effort to give a reliever warming up in the bullpen additional throws.

According to the rule, each of these instances qualifies as an official mound visit, with a maximum of five allowed per nine-inning game. The pitcher will be automatically removed from the game if they make any more trips to the mound after using all of the allotted numbers of visits.

Coaches and/or players who willfully violate the mound visit rule will be ejected from the game and fined. But there are also situations in which the rules don’t apply, as well.

How Many Mound Visits Are Permitted In Major League Baseball?

Each team gets five turns on the mound in a nine-inning game starting in 2020. For every extra inning, they are given an additional visit.

The umpire may grant a quick mound visit if a team has run out of them so that the catcher can explain a cross-up to the pitcher. In terms of safety, that is more of an issue. Injury may result if the pitcher throws high when the catcher anticipates a low pitch.

Only once per pitcher and once per inning, or twice if they intend to replace the pitcher, may a member of the coaching staff approach the mound.

To put it another way, the coach or manager can go check on their pitcher and, if necessary, leave the mound, inform the umpire, and return to the hill to bench the pitcher. Despite making two trips to the mound in one inning, only one visit is recorded. The pitcher may be benched for the remainder of the game if they visit him a second time without making a substitution.

Visits begin when the coach exits the dugout after receiving permission from the umpire. They then have 30 seconds to go to the pitcher’s mound and speak with him. When the coach leaves the area surrounding the pitcher’s mound, if they leave the dugout before the allotted time has passed, the visit is finished.

What Are The Exceptions For A Mound Visit?

Each rule has a few exceptions that allow for flexibility during play, and baseball’s MVR is no different.

A good illustration is a need for a coach to be present if the pitcher appears to be dealing with an injury that could affect their performance. This mound visit will not count if the coach makes an announcement stating that they want to change players (or do not).

Another exception is when a ball is hit from the pitcher position and crosses up between the catcher and pitcher as it approaches home plate. When a fastball instead of a curveball is thrown to the catcher, it is called a splitter. The referee permits the two players to collide without affecting the MVR even though the ball will disrupt the team’s play.

This is primarily due to the fact that complicated signals and motions will be used between the pitcher and the catcher to prevent sign theft by the offensive team.

The final exception is that the catcher can quickly meet with a new pitcher to discuss when the pinch-hitter comes in to replace the player holding the bat. The last exception occurs when passersby approach to use a rubber scraper to clean their spikes.

Although they are uncommon, the team’s MVR will not be impacted by these circumstances.

Overzealous spectators have been known to invade the field and disrupt games. The players can meet and talk while the security is handling the issue. Naturally, the team’s number of mound visits per game will not be impacted.

Why Are Mound Visits Limited?

Why bother to limit mound visits and then have all the requirements for what is and is not considered an official mound visit? is one question you might have about mound visits. Well, there is a purpose for it.

In order to lessen the frequency that games being interrupted by a coach or catcher visiting the mound, Major League Baseball started limiting mound visits in 2018. This was done in response to games lasting longer. This came after the 2016 rule change that stipulated that mound visits could only last for 30 seconds.

Prior to 2016, the only limitations on pitcher mound visits were that a manager or coach had to remove a pitcher whenever he went to the mound a second time in the same inning.

Despite the fact that this regulation has not changed, mound visits were given a 30-second time limit in 2016.

Following that, the number of mound visits was restricted to six per team (per game) in 2018 and to five the following year.

Hence, MLB scoreboards have since added the “MVR” column to make it clear to all players, coaches, and fans how many visits they have left in the game.

Baseball’s introduction of MVR was done with the intention of accelerating play. So how effectively did this work? Early results were encouraging, though, with the number of mound visits cut in half and the average length of a nine-inning game decreasing by five minutes in 2018.

Major League Baseball game times, on the other hand, quickly increased to 2017’s level of 3:05 in 2019 with the rules still in place, and even further to 3:07 in the shortened 2020 season. Therefore, it seems that the MVR in baseball hasn’t significantly impacted Major League Baseball’s desired goal of shorter games after a few seasons.

That said, the rule appears to be here to stay, so the next time you go to a baseball game and see “MVR” on the baseball scoreboard, you know what it means.

Responses About The Mound Visits Policy

This rule’s primary objective is to be progressive and civilized. Both players and viewers of the match will conserve energy if the game is sped up.

Overall, the game’s structure is improved, and the tournament administration is altered.

Traditional supporters, coaches, or managers disagree. They complain about the new terms because they think they change the rules of the game and make the staff work harder and longer. If they are careless, they could impact the pitcher and ultimately the outcome of the game.

The meaning of the baseball MVR and whether or not we should keep this law has generated a great deal of debate.