The pace of play issue in Major League Baseball may soon have a resolution.
It is highly likely that MLB will implement a pitch clock beginning in the 2023 season and based on early data across Minor League Baseball this year, it works.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Tuesday through 132 minor-league games that included a 14-second pitch clock with the bases empty and 18-second pitch clock with runners on base, the average game time was 2 hours and 39 minutes.
The average game time in 335 games this season without a pitch clock lasted 2 hours and 59 minutes — a difference of 20 minutes.Last year, non-clock games averaged 3 hours and 3 minutes.
Passan further broke down the data to show that one-third of minor league games over the three-day sample with the clocked ended in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes. Only 15% of games exceeded three hours. Last season, 52% of games exceeded three hours.
One of the concerns regarding a pitch clock is whether or not it will increase offense with less time for pitchers to work, but there does not appear to be any difference at all through the small sample size.
Per Passan, non-clock games averaged 5.13 runs and 16.1 hits while games with a pitch-clock averaged 5.11 runs and 15.9 hits per game.
Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 No. 1 draft pick, catcher Henry Davis, believes it is an encouraging sign and has enjoyed the speed of the game.
“It seemed like it accomplished exactly what MLB wants the game to look like in a few years,” he told Passan. “[Outside of] playing in the College World Series or unique games, it has been the most fun I’ve ever had playing.”
Not everyone is a fan, however.
Former MLB pitcher Derek Holland, who is with the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate, shared on Twitter his dismay for the rule, saying that “we are trying to do way too much to this game.”
In addition to the pitch clock, there have also been limitations on pick-off throws or mound step-offs, capping the pitcher at two per batter with a third resulting in a balk.
It has led to an 18% increase in stolen bases, per Passan.
The new collective bargaining agreement allows MLB to unilaterally implement new rules within a 45-day advance notice, a change from the previous one-year notice.
This would allow the league to gather enough data to implement the change for the 2023 season.
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