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Boston Red Sox star third baseman Rafael Devers became the first victim of the new MLB pitch clock rules after being called out on strikes despite the third one never crossing home plate.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Devers fouled a ball off from Baltimore Orioles reliever Cionel Perez and walked out of the batter’s box to collect himself before the next pitch.
However, the new MLB pitch clock rule states that a hitter must be "alert to the pitcher" with eight seconds left on the clock. The clock reset once Devers’ foul ball officially became a dead ball.
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Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the first inning of the 2023 Opening Day Game game against the Baltimore Orioles on March 30, 2023 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
So, as he stepped back in the box and tapped his bat on his feet, the umpire actually waited until there were six seconds left on the clock to call Devers out with a 1-2 count on him.
Devers couldn’t believe the call at first, but like every MLB player, he understood in the end why the umpire had to make the call.
With MLB implementing these new rules this season, which includes banning defensive shifts, players have made it known they are not a fan of the "alert to the pitcher" part of the rule.
Rafael Devers #11 o the Boston Red Sox plays defense during the first inning of the 2023 Opening Day Game game against the Baltimore Orioles on March 30, 2023 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, though, said no changes were coming to the rules after watching things play out in spring training.
That out on Devers turned out to be a big one as the Red Sox lost, 10-9, to the Orioles after scoring three runs in that eighth inning followed by two in the ninth. Devers would also strike out swinging in the ninth inning, but perhaps he gets a hit in the previous at-bat that adds a run.
Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox reacts before a Spring Training Grapefruit League game against the Tampa Bay Rays on February 26, 2023 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. (Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
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Nevertheless, hindsight is 20/20 and the rules are the rules in this case. And this certainly won’t be the last time we see a hitter called out due to the new infraction.
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