Red Sox’s Rafael Devers falls victim to new MLB pitch clock rule

Follow

Share

The new pitch clock rules in Major League Baseball claimed their first regular-season victim as Rafael Devers, the third baseman of the Boston Red Sox, was called out on strikes even though the third pitch didn’t pass the home plate.

During a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles, Rafael Devers fell prey to the new pitch clock rules implemented by MLB, resulting in him being called out on strikes with a 1-2 count on him. He is the first player to face the consequences of this new rule in the regular season.

Despite the players’ disapproval of the new rules, no changes would be made as confirmed by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. It remains to be seen how players will adapt to the new rules and if they will be successful in speeding up the game, as the season progresses.

Related: Rafael Devers aims to continue Xander Bogaerts’ legacy with Boston Red Sox

Rafael Devers called out on strikes despite ball not crossing home plate

During a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles, Rafael Devers fouled a ball off from Orioles reliever Cionel Perez in the bottom of the eighth inning. He then walked out of the batter’s box to compose himself, but the clock reset once his foul ball officially became a dead ball.

Despite players expressing their disapproval of the “alert to the pitcher” rule, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has confirmed that no changes will be made to the rules. In addition to this, the new rules also include the banning of defensive shifts.

Despite Devers’ initial frustration with the call, he eventually comprehended the umpire’s decision to call him out. This out was crucial since it contributed to the Red Sox’s 10-9 loss to the Orioles. In the ninth inning, Devers also struck out swinging, and had he gotten a hit in the previous at-bat, it could have added a run to the score.

MLB aims to attract younger audiences by speeding up the game with new rules. The pitch clock, giving the pitcher 20 seconds to deliver the pitch, can result in a ball for the batter. Despite the rule’s purpose, players are still adapting to it, as demonstrated by Devers’ recent call.

In case you missed it:

San Francisco Giants pitcher Sergio Romo becomes victim to pitch clock violations on his last MLB appearance

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred commits to restoring baseball’s popularity with the new rule changes