The addition of a pitch clock to Major League Baseball is going to take some time for everyone to get used to. And on Saturday, a player remembered that the pitch clock is now a thing as the clock was winding down.
In the bottom of the first inning of Saturday’s game between the Cleveland Guardians and Washington Nationals, Washington’s Jeimer Candelario stepped out of the box in between pitches to take a practice swing.
This is the sort of thing that baseball players have been doing at all levels since they started playing the sport. It’s also the sort of thing that led to the pitch clock being invented. MLB wants to speed up the game and lessen the time used on non-action. But, again- it’s something that players are very used to doing, so not doing that — and remembering to do not that — is an adjustment.
Well, after a handful of seconds, Candelario remembered that a pitch clock now exists. Candelario had an “OH NO!” look on his face as he jumped back into the batter’s box and looked at the home plate umpire. He laughed at the moment and was relieved that he beat the buzzer as he waited for the next pitch from Cleveland’s Zach Plesac.
Jeimer Candelario realizing he’s about to get a pitch clock violation ⚾️🤣⏰ pic.twitter.com/qh6qWNBdJy
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 15, 2023
Later in the at-bat, Candelario hit an RBI double.
WASTE NO TIME! pic.twitter.com/SewzPvR2Qp
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) April 15, 2023
So, that’s a pitch-clock moment we can get a laugh out of.
It comes a day after a heavily criticized violation in which the Chicago Cubs’ Cody Bellinger was penalized while getting a long ovation from Dodgers fans in his return to Los Angeles.
Petty pitch clock violation alert: Cody Bellinger gets a long ovation in his first at-bat back at Dodger Stadium. Is given a violation for his troubles. https://t.co/ZUF6ARiatC
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 15, 2023
[Photo Credit: MASN]
