Padres third baseman Manny Machado committed the first pitch-clock violation in one of two spring-training games on Friday against the Mariners.
In the bottom of the first inning facing Mariners pitcher Robbie Ray, Machado failed to bring his left foot inside the batter’s box when the clock continued to tick. Ryan Blakney, the home plate umpire, called a timeout and immediately signaled to his wrist to indicate a clock violation.
Blakney then denoted 0–1 count for Machado, before Machado reached base on a single. After the violation, the six-time All-Star said the new pitch clock will be a big adjustment.
"I might be 0–1 down a lot this year,” Machado said. “It is super fast. Right on eight seconds, you got to be ready looking at the pitcher. Right there, I was looking up.. He [umpire] was like you got two seconds.. soon as I looked, it was like… I got caught 0–1 right away.”
Machado’s violation on Friday comes after the 30-year-old predicted that players would be frustrated with umpires as the new rule is enforced.
“You’re going to have some players who are going to be freakin’ angry and pissed off,” Machado told Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. “You’re going to have players pissed off at the umpires who are just following the rules. We’re going to be seeing some crazy [expletive] for sure.”
With MLB’s new rule, pitchers will have 15 seconds to begin their throwing motion when the bases are empty and 20 seconds when runners are on bases. Pitchers will also be given automatic balls if the clock runs out.
