Part 2/6:
The Golden At Bat would allow teams to select one at-bat in each game where they could substitute in their best hitter, irrespective of their position in the batting order. For instance, if the New York Yankees find themselves down a run in the ninth inning with two outs and the number eight batter at the plate, they could opt to allow Aaron Judge, their star hitter, to take that at-bat instead.
While this may seem innovative to some, critics argue that this contravenes the essence of baseball. The game’s integrity rests on the established order of batting lineups, where unexpected heroes emerge based on circumstances rather than guaranteeing the best player at the plate every time.