© Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
MLB's Biggest New Rule Has Been A Nonfactor For Guardians
Whenever something new is implemented that changes the way a 150-year-old sport is being played there's going to be some that are all on board with it and another side that is apprehensive. The same can be said for how fans reacted to the plethora of new rules that MLB added before the 2023 season.
The biggest one was the addition of the pitch clock which says a pitcher needs to pitch the ball within 15 seconds or the batter will be given a ball. There was certainly an adjustment period towards the beginning of the year, but the Cleveland Guardians have adapted and these changes beautifully and they're now a non-factor to the club.
Here's a breakdown of pitch clock violations made by Cleveland pitchers per month:
- March/April: 11
- May: 2
- June: 5
- July: 8
- August: 1
- September: 1
The number of infringements has clearly plummeted since the season began which is great to see from a fan perspective.
It's not just the Guardians who have acclimated to the rules as the season has gone on. Violations have dropped across the board as the months have passed with over half (65 percent) of all contests this year being played without an infringement.
Take a look at the breakdown of violations by month across MLB this season:
- May/April: 305
- May: 237
- June: 161
- July: 139
- August: 118
- September: 98
It may still feel a little odd that a batter can get a free ball or a pitcher can get a strike without a pitch actually being thrown. But we can't ignore the facts.
The newly installed pitch clock is lit behind the plate in the third inning of the MLB Cactus League spring training game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz., on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Cleveland Guardians At Cincinnati Reds Spring Training
© Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
These new rules have turned out to do exactly what to accomplish what they were implemented for. Games have been much shorter in 2023 and attendance for Cleveland is dramatically up.
It would only make sense to see violations continue to fall in 2024 as everyone has another offseason and Spring Training to get used to it.
