re: MLB announces rule changes for 2019 and 2020 season

Part of the 40 man roster going away and the three batter rule is to speed up the game, but part of it is also to reduce all the strikeouts. K’s have spiked in the last 5-6 years due to saber metrics and the ability to carry so many pitchers and use them correctly in the second half of games.
For a long time up to 2010, teams each averaged about 1000-1150 k’s a season. It was almost 1400 per team last year.

It’s not just about speeding up the game.