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NY Post
New York Post
25 Feb 2023


NextImg:New MLB pitch clock rule causes controversial end to Red Sox-Braves game

Major League Baseball’s new pitch clock rules are already leading to controversial moments. 

Take Saturday’s spring training game between the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves. With the game tied 6-6, bases loaded and a 3-2 count in the bottom of the ninth inning, Red Sox relief pitcher Robert Kwiatkowski got ready to deliver to Braves infielder Cal Conley. 

But before the right-hander could get into his stretch, the home plate umpire John Libka interrupted: Conley did not get set in time, thus an automatic strike was called, ending the inning and the game in a tie, per spring training rules.

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Conley was hit with a strike because he wasn’t set and “alert” to the pitcher in the batter’s box when the pitch clock ticked to 8 seconds. 

Pitchers will also be affected by a myriad of new rules the MLB added in for this season to make the game quicker. If a pitcher doesn’t throw the ball in a certain amount of time — 15 seconds if no runners are on base and 20 seconds if there are — hitters will have an automatic ball added to their count.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said the new rules aim to decrease game time and encourage more action-oriented play. The league tried out the pitch clock violation in the minor leagues last season — an experiment that contributed to a cutting down game time by 25 minutes, according to ESPN.

It’s already having an effect. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Friday’s game between the Padres and Mariners took just 2 hours and 29 minutes, which is about 40 minutes under the average game last season.

Conley wasn’t the only violator of the new rules during the opening days of spring training. Padres star Manny Machado was the first player to violate the new rule on Friday when he didn’t get set in the box within eight seconds. Machado later said he “might be down 0-1 a lot” this year, thanks to the changes.