Major League Baseball (MLB) will introduce a ‘pitch clock’ in this year’s postseason as well.
ESPN, an American sports media outlet, quoted a source on the 2nd (Korean time) and reported, “MLB has decided to maintain pitcher pitching time rules in the postseason.”
The pitch clock was introduced to MLB for the first time this season to ‘speed up’. According to the rule, the pitcher must throw the ball within 15 seconds when the base is empty and within 20 seconds when there are runners.스포츠토토
In the case of batters, they must take a batting stance 8 seconds before the pitch clock ends.
If the pitcher breaks the rule, one ball is awarded, and if the batter violates the rule, one strike is given.
The effect of introducing the pitch clock was clear. After its introduction, the average MLB regular season game time was 2 hours and 39 minutes, a 25-minute decrease from last year’s 3 hours and 4 minutes.
After confirming the effectiveness, MLB decided to continue the same rule in the postseason.
According to ESPN, the MLB Executive Committee agreed not to amend any rules before the postseason and recently notified the Joint Competition Committee, comprised of player and team owner representatives, of the decision.
Last year’s postseason average game time was 3 hours and 32 minutes, which is 53 minutes longer than this year’s regular season when the pitch clock was introduced.
MLB players have also somewhat adapted to the pitch clock.
ESPN explained, “The pitch clock violations that occurred consistently early in the season have now virtually disappeared to one per four games. Two-thirds of regular season games ended without a pitch clock violation.”