Rob Manfred expresses support for MLB instituting pitch clock

A pitch clock is one rule change MLB commissioner Rob Manfred supports to increase pace of play.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred expressed interest Thursday in instituting a 20-second pitch clock in the majors.

“Our view of the pitch clock is that we feel it’s been effective in the minor leagues, we really do,” Manfred told reporters in Houston. “I think when you look at our experience with the effort we undertook last year, and you look month-by-month in terms of where we were in terms of game time. We did really well early and kind of regressed the second half of last year, and certainly this year.”

A pitch clock was first used in Arizona Fall League games in 2014 and expanded to the minors in 2015. In 2015, Manfred said he was pleased with the early results of the pitch clock experiment.

Manfred said that the main function of the clock is to keep players mindful of the pace of play. MLB Rule 8.04 already requires pitchers to deliver a pitch within 12 seconds if no one is on base. 

A rule change adding a pitch clock would have to be approved by the MLBPA. The league and the union will negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement this winter.