Chaos Breaks Out At End Of Red Sox-Braves Spring Training Tilt Due To New MLB Rules

The new MLB rules were on full display Saturday

The new Major League Baseball rules certainly are going to take some getting used to. 

The rule that certainly will take more getting used to is the implementation of the new pitch clock. The new rules were tested out in the minor leagues but in 2023 for the first time in the big leagues, pitchers will have 15 seconds to throw a pitch with the bases empty and 20 seconds with a runner on base or be given a ball. Batters are required to be in the box and ready to hit before the clock hits eight seconds or they are given a strike. 

The Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves saw firsthand the impact of the rule changes in their Grapefruit League debut Saturday afternoon. The game itself was quicker and finished and in just under two hours and forty minutes, but the biggest takeaway fans will have is the final call of the game. 

Atlanta tied the ballgame at six runs apiece and had the bases loaded with Cal Conley at the plate. The infielder pushed the count to 3-2 but before another pitch could be thrown struck out due to an automatic third strike from not stepping into the box before the pitch clock hit eight seconds to end the ballgame. 

We have our first wild moment of the pitch clock era.

Red Sox and Braves tie 6-6 with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th. https://t.co/kkcWdzDsot

— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) February 25, 2023

Confusion erupted on the field and Conley initially walked towards first base as he thought Boston pitcher Robert Kwiatkowski was the one who committed a violation, but the umpire cleared the air quickly and then walked over to the Braves bench to fill them in on the situation. 

If it was the regular season the contest would've gone to extra innings -- where another new rule would've been on display with a Red Sox batter starting on second base -- but because it was a spring training contest, it ended in a tie. 

On the bright side, the pitch clock immediately has shown that it works. It speeds up the game and also in doing leads to almost constant action. The pace of play is greatly impacted and in general, leads to a more interesting product. On the negative side, although it certainly is unlikely that something like this will happen in the regular season if a team were to somehow lose a game based on an automatic strike or ball call it will lead to chaos. 

Spring training is the place to learn the new rules and adjust, but hopefully, this doesn't happen again. 

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