Pitch clock

In college baseball, the Southeastern Conference experimented with using pitch clocks in 2010. Pitchers were given twenty seconds to throw the pitch, or a ball would be added to the count. Similarly, a batter stepping out of the batter's box with less than five seconds on the clock was assessed an additional strike.{{cite web|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2010/05/pitch-clock-for-baseball-experiment-begins-in-sec/1|title=Pitch clock for baseball? Experiment begins in SEC|work=USATODAY.COM|access-date=October 11, 2015}} After the 2010 season, the National Collegiate Athletic Association sought to make the pitch clock mandatory,{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaa-ready-pitch-clock-mandatory-003000470-ncaabb.html|title=NCAA ready to make pitch clock mandatory|date=July 24, 2010|work=Yahoo Sports|access-date=October 11, 2015}} and instituted it for the 2011 college baseball season, but only when there are no runners on base.{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2011/03/ncaa_rules_for_college_basebal.html |title=NCAA rules for college baseball are designed to speed up the game |publisher=NOLA.com |date=March 7, 2011 |access-date=March 17, 2018}}

The first professional league to use pitch clocks was the Arizona Fall League, starting in 2014. On January 15, 2015, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced it would institute a 20-second pitch clock in Minor League Baseball for Double-A and Triple-A teams during the 2015 season.{{cite web|title=Pitch clock for Double-A, Triple-A use|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/12172716/mlb-use-pitch-clock-double-triple-games|website=ESPN|date=January 15, 2015|access-date=October 11, 2015}} Pitchers were allowed twenty seconds to throw a pitch, with the penalty of a ball awarded to the batter if not followed.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-114596202|title=Minor Leagues announce pace-of-game rules - MiLB.com News - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|work=Minor League Baseball|access-date=October 11, 2015}} Along with other rules affecting the pace of play, the clock contributed to a 12-minute reduction in game times between the 2014 and 2015 seasons, compared to the leagues that did not use the clock, which saw game times change from an increase of three minutes per game to a decrease in five minutes per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-152478810|title=Minor League Baseball Toolshed: Pitch clocks do their job in debut season - MiLB.com News - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|work=Minor League Baseball|access-date=October 11, 2015}} Game times increased in 2016 and 2017, but were still faster than games in 2014. The independent Atlantic League began using a 12-second pitch clock.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerrybeach/2018/07/13/for-the-atlantic-league-the-all-star-game-is-all-about-its-amazing-balancing-act/|title=For the Atlantic League, the All-Star Game is All About Its Amazing Balancing Act|first=Jerry|last=Beach|work=Forbes|date=July 13, 2018|access-date=September 1, 2018}}

File:American Family Field Pitch Clock.jpg is seen in the center of the image on the pillar in September 2022; here, it indicates that seven seconds remain in a television timeout between innings.]]

MLB and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) discussed the possibility of introducing the pitch clock in the major leagues for the 2018 season.{{cite web|last=Castrovince |first=Anthony |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/opinions-differ-on-mlb-pitch-clock/c-265068962 |title=Opinions differ on MLB pitch clock |work=MLB.com |date=January 21, 2018 |access-date=March 17, 2018}} MLB opted against imposing it unilaterally, over the opposition of the MLBPA.{{cite web|author=USA TODAY Sports |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2018/02/19/mlb-no-pitch-clock-2018-but-mound-visits-warm-up-times-limited/351422002/ |title=MLB pace of play: No pitch clock in 2018, but mound visits limited |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=February 19, 2018 |access-date=March 17, 2018}} MLB implemented a 20-second pitch clock in spring training games in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-rolls-out-pitch-clock-for-spring-training-games-and-it-could-reportedly-carry-into-regular-season/|title = MLB rolls out pitch clock for spring training games, and it could reportedly carry into regular season| date=February 22, 2019 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26056428/regular-season-pitch-clocks-year-real-possibility|title=Sources: Reg.-season pitch clock a real possibility|date=February 22, 2019}} The collective bargaining agreement reached to end the 2021–22 Major League Baseball lockout included the possibility of introducing a pitch clock for the 2023 MLB season. Four active players plus six persons appointed by MLB and one umpire formed a Joint Competition Committee to review and recommend any changes to playing rules.{{cite news |last1=Feinsand |first1=Mark |title=MLB, MLBPA agree to new CBA; season to start April 7 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-mlbpa-agree-to-cba |access-date=April 16, 2022 |work=MLB.com |date=March 10, 2022 |language=en}}

On September 8, 2022, MLB announced that rules changes for 2023 included the use of a pitch clock.{{cite news|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-2023-rule-changes-pitch-timer-larger-bases-shifts |title=Pitch timer, shift restrictions among announced rule changes for '23 |first=Anthony |last=Castrovince |website=MLB.com |date=September 9, 2022 |access-date=September 9, 2022}} Pitchers would have 15 seconds between pitches when there are no baserunners and 20 seconds if there is at least one baserunner. Also, the batter will have seven to twelve seconds to be in the stance ready to hit, or an automatic strike will be called. The clock starts when the pitcher gets the ball and the catcher and batter are ready.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2023/02/23/mlb-rule-changes-pitch-clock-larger-bases-and-more/69938366007/|title=MLB rule changes: pitch clock, larger bases and more|agency=Associated Press|work=USA Today|date=February 23, 2023|accessdate=February 25, 2023}}

In addition to its primary use to time pitches, the clock indicates the time remaining in a television timeout for commercials (usually between each half of an inning), and also to time the warmup period on the mound for a relief pitcher coming out of the bullpen. There are multiple copies of the pitch clock displayed throughout a major league stadium to allow its full visibility for players, coaches, umpires, press, and spectators throughout the venue. This also allows for display within television broadcast graphics, as determined by broadcasters.{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Kendall |title=Broadcasters adjust to MLB's pitch clock |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/05/04/mlb-baseball-pitch-clock-broadcaster-graphics |website=Axios |access-date=1 July 2024 |date=3 May 2023}}

Marcus Stroman of the Chicago Cubs became the first pitcher to violate the pitch clock during the regular season, during the third inning of the 2023 opening day game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Baltimore Orioles' Austin Hays was the first batter to receive a strike call due to a time infraction, while Rafael Devers of the Boston Red Sox was the first to be called for a strikeout.{{cite news |last1=Doolittle |first1=Bradford |title=Cubs' Marcus Stroman called for MLB's first clock violation |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36006841/cubs-marcus-stroman-called-mlb-first-pitch-violation |access-date=July 1, 2023 |work=ESPN |date=March 30, 2023}}

The first 400 Major League Baseball games during the {{MLB Year|2023|disp=seas}} were, on average, about 30 minutes shorter than the first 400 of the previous season. In addition, the standard deviation of game times was down significantly. The game length had not been this consistent since the {{MLB Year|1942|disp=seas}}.{{cite news |last1=Lindbergh |first1=Ben |title=Baseball's Pitch Clock Has Transformed Game Length—and Not Just in the Obvious Way |url=https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2023/5/1/23706488/pitch-clock-2023-shorter-games-uniform-duration |access-date=June 11, 2023 |work=The Ringer |date=May 1, 2023 |language=en}} MLB postseason games in the first year of the pitch clock were 21 minutes shorter on average than postseason games in the previous year, with more runs and stolen bases.{{Cite magazine |last=Verducci |first=Tom |date=2023-11-04 |title=How the Pitch Timer Saved the World Series |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/11/04/the-pitch-timer-saved-the-world-series-rangers-diamondbacks |access-date=2023-11-05 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}}

In December 2023 the MLB competition committee approved a rule change to reduce the pitch clock from 20 to 18 seconds with runners on base, beginning in the {{MLB Year|2024|disp=seas}}.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-21 |title=MLB tweaks rules on pace of play and first base path |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231221-mlb-tweaks-rules-on-pace-of-play-and-first-base-path |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=France 24 |language=en}}

The Japan Amateur Baseball Association (part of the Baseball Federation of Japan) which organizes most Japanese adult baseball outside Nippon Professional Baseball and its minor league teams, decided to adopt the pitch clock after MLB's success in 2023 Spring Training.{{Cite web |title=A balk for three ground balls? What is the background behind the introduction of the major league-style shortened time rule by baseball for JABA Baseball |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0a3ae3cb300e0a94e213c73caed6afee2d3f300c |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Daily Sports (Japanese newspaper) |publisher=via Yahoo Japan News |language=ja |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307092036/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0a3ae3cb300e0a94e213c73caed6afee2d3f300c |url-status=dead }}

KBO League introduced the pitch clock system in the 2025 season. {{Cite web |date=2024-03-21 |title=KBO 리그 ‘피치클락 2025 시즌 정식 도입’, 2024 시즌 시범 운영 지속 |url=https://www.koreabaseball.com/MediaNews/Notice/View.aspx?bdSe=10003 |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=KBO |language=korean}}

Data regarding the effect of the pitch clock on injuries is limited. But a 2024 study concluded that the rate of injuries decreased significantly after the MLB pitch clock was introduced in 2023. The authors noted that the 2023 season saw a statistically significant decrease in total injuries, undisclosed injuries and torso injuries, but that there was no statistically significant difference in the number of elbow injuries suffered by pitchers compared to the 2021 or 2022 seasons.Puga, T., Scigliano, N., Box, M., & Riehl, J. T. (2024). The Major League Baseball pitch clock: First year analysis of pitcher injuries. Journal of Orthopaedics, 57, 133–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jse.2024.05.042

• {{anl|Play clock}}
• {{anl|Shot clock}}
• {{anl|Over rate}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.mlb.com/glossary/rules/pace-of-play Pace of Play | Glossary] — MLB.com
• {{WayBack|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130174821/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/pace-of-game/?mode=afl|title="Pace of Game", MLB.com}}

{{Baseball}}

Category:Baseball terminology

Category:Baseball rules

Category:Time measurement systems

Category:Timers