MLB Opening Day: Pitch Clock Violation, Latest Scores and News
As for the strikeout on an automatic strike? That was issued to Rafael Devers of the Boston Red Sox who got rung up to lead off the eighth inning of his team’s loss to Baltimore. Devers, who signed a $331 million contract this off-season, was looking down rather than at the pitcher when the violation was called.
Pitch clock. The biggest change is the creation of a pitch clock. Pitchers will have 15 seconds to begin their motion with the bases empty and 20 seconds with a runner on. If they don’t, they will be assessed a ball. Batters not in the box by the eight-second mark will receive a strike.
More pace-of-play changes. A pitcher is limited to two disengagements, such as a pickoff attempt or step-off, per plate appearance. A third will result in a balk. There will be a 30-second clock between batters and a 2-minute-15-second inning break during regular-season games.
Defensive shift ban. All four infielders must have both feet on the infield dirt or grass when the pitcher begins his motion, and each team must have two infielders on each side of second base. A violation results in a ball, or the batting team can let the play stand.
Bigger bases. With the goal of decreasing collisions at first base and stimulating more infield hits and stolen bases, all three bases were increased to 18 inches square from 15. That will reduce the distance between first and second base, and second and third, by 4.5 inches.
Why make these changes? Baseball has been criticized for having long games without enough action. In 2021, an average game set a record at 3 hours 11 minutes — the average was 2 hours 44 minutes in 1985. Hits per game were near historic lows while strikeouts were higher than ever.
Will the new rules work? M.L.B. found that the use of a pitch clock in the minors shortened the average game by 25 minutes. Overall, the league saw a slight increase in batting average, a larger one in stolen base attempts, a notable decrease in injuries and a smaller decrease in strikeouts.
“There’s no excuses,” Manager Alex Cora told reporters after the game. “They know the rules. We know the rules.”
As for the effects of the clock on the games? The Yankees, whose games averaged a major league-high 3 hours 13 minutes last season, beat the San Francisco Giants, 5-0, in the first game of the day. Total time? 2 hours 33 minutes. The Tampa Bay Rays dispatched the Detroit Tigers even faster, winning by 4-0 in 2:14.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/30/sports/baseball/mlb-opening-day-scores-new-rules.html