Pitch clock

A pitch clock (also known as a pitch timer)^[1] is used in various baseball leagues to limit the amount of time a pitcher takes before throwing a pitch and/or limit the amount of time the hitter uses before he is set to hit.

Various baseball leagues and tournaments around the world use a pitch clock to speed up the pace of play. Major League Baseball (MLB) began using a pitch clock in the 2023 season following a period of tests on MLB partner leagues, minor league baseball, and college baseball.^[2]

In 1962, Hap Dumont, head of the semi-pro National Baseball Congress, commissioned the Timex Corporation to build a clock to install in the scoreboard at Lawrence Stadium in Wichita, Kansas for the NBC National Tournament, with a 20 second pitch clock and 90 seconds between innings.^[3] The clock buzzed when the timer went off, with a ball called if the pitcher violated and a strike if the batter violated the timer. In 1965, Dumont predicted Major League Baseball would use the NBC electronic timer in two years. The timer has been used for the NBC World Series in Wichita ever since.^[4]

In professional baseball, Pacific Coast League President Dewey Soriano ordered PCL umpires to enforce the 20 second pitch timer listed in the rulebook in 1962. Two teams in the PCL, the Spokane Indians and Portland Beavers, installed pitch clocks in their stadiums to varying levels of success, with umpires not always calling balls after violations.^[5] In 1963, the Texas League implemented pitch clocks league wide, but were discontinued before the 1965 season.^[6] The Midwest League’sQuad City Angels saw the most success with their pitch clock, installing it in 1963 and using it at least through the 1969 season. ^[7]

In college baseball, the Southeastern Conference experimented with using pitch clocks in 2010. Pitchers were given twenty seconds to throw the pitch, or a ball would be added to the count. Similarly, a batter stepping out of the batter's box with less than five seconds on the clock was assessed an additional strike.^[8] After the 2010 season, the National Collegiate Athletic Association sought to make the pitch clock mandatory,^[9] and instituted it for the 2011 college baseball season, but only when there are no runners on base.^[10]

The first professional league to use pitch clocks was the Arizona Fall League, starting in 2014. On January 15, 2015, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced it would institute a 20-second pitch clock in Minor League Baseball for Double-A and Triple-A teams during the 2015 season.^[11] Pitchers were allowed 20 seconds to throw a pitch, with the penalty of a ball awarded to the batter if not followed.^[12] Along with other rules affecting the pace of play, the clock contributed to a 12-minute reduction in game times between the 2014 and 2015 seasons, compared to the leagues that did not use the clock, which saw game times change from an increase of three minutes per game to a decrease in five minutes per game.^[13] Game times increased in 2016 and 2017, but were still faster than games in 2014.^[14] The independent Atlantic League began using a 12-second pitch clock.^[15]

The 1901 season saw the implementation of a predecessor to the modern-day pitch clock. When no runners were on base, a one-ball penalty would be imposed if the pitcher did not deliver a pitch within 20 seconds of the batter taking his stance at the plate.^[16][17] The rules were tightened before the start of the 1955 season, and the 20-second timer started once the pitcher received the ball. However, these 20-second limits were hardly ever enforced, and were left to the umpire's judgement.^[18][5]

MLB and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) discussed the possibility of introducing the pitch clock in the major leagues for the 2018 season.^[14] MLB opted against imposing it unilaterally, over the opposition of the MLBPA.^[19] MLB implemented a 20-second pitch clock in spring training games in 2019.^[20][21] The collective bargaining agreement reached to end the 2021–22 Major League Baseball lockout included the possibility of introducing a pitch clock for the 2023 MLB season. Four active players plus six persons appointed by MLB and one umpire formed a Joint Competition Committee to review and recommend any changes to playing rules.^[22]

On September 8, 2022, MLB announced that rules changes for 2023 included the use of a pitch clock.^[23] Pitchers would have 15 seconds between pitches when there are no baserunners and 20 seconds if there is at least one baserunner. Also, the batter will have 7 to 12 seconds to be in the stance ready to hit, or an automatic strike will be called. The clock starts when the pitcher gets the ball and the catcher and batter are ready.^[24]

Neben ihrer Hauptfunktion zur Zeitmessung von Würfen zeigt die Uhr die verbleibende Zeit einer Werbepause (üblicherweise zwischen den beiden Hälften eines Innings) an und dient auch zur Zeitmessung der Aufwärmphase eines Einwechselwerfers auf dem Mound . Mehrere Pitch-Clock-Einheiten sind im gesamten Stadion der Major League verteilt, um Spielern, Trainern, Schiedsrichtern, Pressevertretern und Zuschauern optimale Sichtbarkeit zu gewährleisten. Alle Einheiten sind synchronisiert , um die exakte Zeit anzuzeigen. Die Zeitmessung wird von einem Field Time Coordinator überwacht, der in direkter Kommunikation mit den Schiedsrichtern steht. Diese entscheiden über die Einhaltung der Zeitvorgaben und können in bestimmten Fällen Entscheidungen der Pitch Clock überstimmen. [ ^{25 ] Das} System ist auch mit den Übertragungswagen der Fernsehsender verbunden . Diese können den Pitch-Timer im Anzeigebildschirm einblenden . Als Backup kann eine Kamera auf den physischen Field Timer gerichtet sein, falls dieser ausfällt. ^{[ 26 ]}

Marcus Stroman von den Chicago Cubs war der erste Pitcher, der in der regulären Saison gegen die Pitch-Clock verstieß, und zwar im dritten Inning des Eröffnungsspiels 2023 gegen die Milwaukee Brewers . Austin Hays von den Baltimore Orioles war der erste Schlagmann, der aufgrund eines Zeitverstoßes einen Strike-Call erhielt, während Rafael Devers von den Boston Red Sox der erste war, der wegen eines Strikeouts ausgeschieden ist. ^{[ 27 ]}

Die ersten 400 Spiele der Major League Baseball (MLB) in der Saison 2023 waren im Durchschnitt etwa 30 Minuten kürzer als die ersten 400 Spiele der Vorsaison . Zudem sank die Standardabweichung der Spielzeiten deutlich. Eine so konstante Spieldauer hatte es seit der Saison 1942 nicht mehr gegeben . ^{[ 28 ]} Die MLB-Playoff-Spiele im ersten Jahr mit Pitch Clock waren im Durchschnitt 21 Minuten kürzer als die Playoff-Spiele des Vorjahres, bei gleichzeitig höherer Anzahl an Runs und gestohlenen Bases. ^{[ 29 ]}

Im Dezember 2023 genehmigte das MLB-Wettbewerbskomitee eine Regeländerung zur Verkürzung der Pitch-Clock von 20 auf 18 Sekunden bei Läufern auf den Bases, beginnend mit der Saison 2024. ^{[ 30 ]}

In the 2023 season, the first to use the rule, there were 1,048 violations: 747 by pitchers, 286 by hitters, and 15 by catchers. ^[31] In the 2024 season there were significantly fewer: 602 total; 465 by pitchers, 133 by batters and 4 by catchers. The Houston Astros led MLB teams with 35 pitch clock violations and the Washington Nationals' Kyle Finnegan led individuals with 11.

The Japan Amateur Baseball Association (part of the Baseball Federation of Japan) which organizes most Japanese adult baseball outside Nippon Professional Baseball and its minor league teams, decided to adopt the pitch clock after MLB's success in 2023 Spring Training.^[32]

KBO League introduced the pitch clock system in the 2025 season. ^[33]

Data regarding the effect of the pitch clock on injuries is limited. A 2024 study concluded that the rate of injuries decreased significantly after the MLB pitch clock was introduced in 2023. The authors noted that the 2023 season saw a statistically significant decrease in total injuries, undisclosed injuries and torso injuries, but that there was no statistically significant difference in the number of elbow injuries suffered by pitchers compared to the 2021 or 2022 seasons.^[34]

• Play clock – Countdown clock in gridiron football
• Shot clock – Clock used for pace of play in sports
• Over rate – Cricket statistic

• Pace of Play | Glossary — MLB.com
• "Pace of Game", MLB.com at the Wayback Machine (archived 2023-01-30)