PEORIA, AZ – Major League Baseball announced Friday a pitch clock would get a soft roll out during Spring Training this year.
The league’s newest rule change was on display in a game featuring baseball’s oldest player, Ichiro Suzuki, at the plate, facing Ryan Buchter.
Ichiro will likely play in the Seattle Mariners’ opening series in Japan before officially hanging up his cleats.
So far it’s undetermined if the pitch clock will see action in the regular season.
MLB says the clock is being introduced now so players can get used to it, but won’t be enforced until later in Spring Training. Umpires could eventually issue warnings and ball or strike penalties for violations.
