Photo Credit: MLB Trade Rumors
Major League Baseball’s competition committee is reviewing a proposal to reduce the pitch clock with runners on base from 20 to 18 seconds for the upcoming season. This move aims to counteract a late-season trend that extended the average game time by seven minutes, according to sources from ESPN.
Mound Visits Reduction
The committee, composed of six team representatives, four players, and one umpire, has also discussed reducing mound visits from five to four per game, sources revealed. Despite these potential changes, the expectation is that the 15-second clock without runners on base will remain unchanged.
Changes to on-field rules can be implemented by the competition committee with 45 days’ notice to players after a proposal. Currently, players are in discussions, intending to return to the committee with suggestions on potential adjustments.
Feb. 22 marks the scheduling of the first spring training game with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres opening the regular season on March 20-21 in a two-game series in Seoul.
Players’ Concerns and MLB’s Position
Players have expressed concerns about the proposed clock reduction, linking it to a surge in pitching injuries during the 2023 season. MLB disputes the idea that a faster pace caused injuries. With teams holding a majority on the committee, the league essentially has significant influence over rule changes, established during negotiations for the collective bargaining agreement in 2022.
Although some pitchers not present at the recent committee meeting would consider a reduced clock with runners on base, they suggest extending the clock with bases empty. However, MLB has shown no inclination to move away from the 15-second rule.
2023 Season Performance
The 2023 season saw the successful implementation of the clock, reducing the average time of a nine-inning game from 3 hours, 4 minutes to 2 hours, 40 minutes. As a result, the time increased as players adapted to new rules, allowing hitters one timeout per plate appearance and pitchers two disengagements from the mound with runners on.
While the average game time was 2:37 in April and May, it rose to 2:39 in June, 2:40 in July, 2:41 in August, and 2:44 in September.
Of the 1,094 pitch-clock violations in 2023, 14% occurred with runners on base. On average, pitchers began their deliveries with 6.5 seconds remaining on the 15-second clock and 7.3 seconds left on the 20-second clock.
Most minor league games this year featured a 14-second clock with bases empty and 18 seconds with runners on. In the Arizona Fall League, a 15-second clock was used with bases empty and 18 seconds with runners on.
Major league teams averaged 2.3 mound visits per game, with only 2% of games exceeding four visits.
