How Will New Pitch Timer Rules Impact the Game?

MLB has taken a bold step to get the game back to the pace and timing of earlier decades

Imagine that the stage is set for a climactic ending to Game 7 of the World Series. It's the bottom of the 9th, tie game. Corbin Carroll steps to the plate with two outs and runners on the corners. 50'000 Arizona fans are screaming at the top of their lungs.  Cleveland Guardians sensational closer Emmanuel Clase is on the mound. He throws over to first on a pickoff attempt but Josh Rojas dives in ahead of the throw. Two pitches later the count  has gone to 2-0.  Jake McCarthy is dancing around on third base, distracting the pitcher. Clase can't get on same page with his catcher and steps off.....gathers himself, they go through the signs again. Carrol fouls off a fastball and swings and misses at a slider just off the plate.   With the count 2-2 and tension built to a climax, Clase looks in.....is not happy with the signs again. Forgetting he's already had two disengagements, he steps off , disengaging from the rubber for the 3rd time in the at bat.  The umpire shouts BALK!  McCarthy is waved in from third base, World series over!

Could such a scenario actually play out in a key moment of the 2023 regular or post season? While the above example is a worst case scenario,  the potential that exists for a violation of one of the new rules to alter the outcome of a game is very real. At the least they are prepared for a bumpy transition. 

That said, all of these rules have been extensively tested in the minor leagues over the past several years. MLB is confident that after a transition period, players and fans will adapt and ultimately the game will be improved. 

Accordingly, beginning with Spring Training games and immediately at the start of the 2023  regular season MLB will institute a pitch timer.  Pitchers must deliver the pitch within 15 seconds with nobody on base, and 20 seconds with a runner on. Here are the details of the rules.

Pitcher Requirements:

• Before the Timer reaches zero, the pitcher must begin the natural movement associated with the delivery of the ball to the batter. 

• From the windup Position: Clock stops when the pitcher steps back (or laterally) From the Set Position: Clock stops when the pitcher lifts his free leg after assuming, and holding, the set position

• Failure to comply with the requirements results in the umpire assessing a violation (i.e., automatic ball)

Hitter Requirements

• The Batter must be in the box and alert to the pitcher with at least 8 seconds remaining on the Timer

• “Alert”  is defined as having both feet in the box, head up looking at the pitcher, and body in a position to be able to quickly assume a hitting position. The batter cannot have his hand held up towards the umpire

• Batters receive one timeout per plate appearance. 

• Failure to comply with the requirements result in the umpire assessing a violation (i.e., automatic strike)

Former MLB pitcher Joe Martinez was on hand February 14th during MLB's presentation to the media to give a demonstration of what these requirements look like. 

Disengagement Rule:

During the early trials in the minor leagues pitchers quickly realized they could reset the clock by throwing over to first base or by simply "stepping off" and disengaging from the rubber.  So MLB adjusted the rules by limiting the number of pickoffs and disengagements. Thus the rule is written as follows

• Pitcher may disengage twice per plate appearance without penalty

• Pitch Timer resets following the disengagement

• On third (or subsequent) disengagement, a balk is assessed if all runners return safely to their originally occupied bases

• Disengagement count resets following the advance of a baserunner

Transition Period & Positive Game Impacts

After the demonstration I asked Morgan Sword, (EVP Baseball Operations for MLB) about the possible nightmare scenario given above whereby a violation occurring in the post season at the worst possible time could impact the outcome of a series?  

"We hope that by the time we get through this transitional period, violations, and particularly violations that impact the outcome of games are going to be very very few and far between. But one of the things you sign up for with the pitch timer is violations that are going to impact game results.  I think that it's a rule just like any other. I think that we're comfortable with that outcome because of the game that it creates." 

There is little debate about the impact the pitch timer has had on the pace of play and time of game in the minor league trials.  According to data collected comparing 2022 to 2021 across Triple-A games, relative to last season, the pitch timer reduced 9-inning game time by 25 minutes and increased action (e.g., higher batting average, fewer strikeouts and walks)

This is critical for MLB.  

Jack Sommers

In addition, the limitation on pickoff throws and step offs created a much greater emphasis on the running game. Stolen base attempts went up from 2.23 per game in 2019 to 2.81 in 2023, while success rate jumped from 68% to 78%.  

Meanwhile it only took about a month to see a drastic reduction in the number of violations. In week two there were 1.73 violations per game. By week five that was cut to 0.73 and by the end of the year violations were all the way down to 0.41  per game.  By comparison the NFL averages 0.6 delay of game penalties in games with 150 snaps, (compared to baseball games with over 300 pitches)

The vast majority of players will adapt. Some will resist. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo spoke about the meeting they had yesterday with pitchers to introduce the rule. He was blunt about the need to get on board quickly 

"The guys know what the rules are  and they're going to have to work within those boundaries and we outlined that today. It was an uncomfortable conversation and the guys were all kind of shaking their head. But what [pitching coach Brent Strom] said to the group is I don't want to hear anybody complaining about it, we have to adapt to it, its not going away." 

"The one thing that everybody said is the first couple weeks are a big adjustment for all. After that you get used to it and it becomes the new normal. It seemed that the ones that were resisting it and fighting it were the ones that struggled with it an never really adapted. So we want to work through that and have our guys embrace it as soon as possible. "

How quickly they can adapt will be critical to the team's chances to have a good season. Especially with a Brutal Early Schedule to start out the season.  Hopefully spring training will provide enough opportunity to make the adjustment prior to opening day on March 30th in Los Angeles. But it seems likely it will be somewhat bumpy and noisy in the early part of the season as MLB rips the bandaid off during this transition period.