The pitch clock has sped up major league games significantly this season (by an average of 26 minutes compared to last year!) but there are still things that can delay a game. Just ask the Giants and Padres.
Tuesday night’s game in San Francisco was zipping along at the typical pace of a 2023 contest as it headed into the bottom of the ninth tied at three. Nick Martinez was on the mound, ready to pitch. Mike Yastrzemski was at the plate, ready to hit. But the game was still on hold.
Why? San Diego only had eight players on the field. Juan Soto was nowhere to be found.
“We don’t have a left fielder!” Giants color commentator Mike Krukow exclaimed. “Is this the big leagues?”
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Juan Soto was just a tad bit late to take the field 😬 pic.twitter.com/ZDdj4zSQZl
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 21, 2023
Soto did emerge from the dugout a few moments later (presumably after a bathroom break) and was greeted with a healthy chorus of boos from the home crowd. Giants manager Gabe Kapler had a brief discussion with home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez but the Padres were not penalized for holding up the game.
The outcome of the game would have been the same for the Padres even if they were playing without one of their outfielders. After Martinez allowed two runners to reach base, Josh Hader came in to relieve him and walked the first batter he faced to load the bases. He got David Villar to strike out but then walked Joc Pederson to force in the winning run. It was San Francisco’s second straight walk-off win and their ninth straight overall.
