NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole’s 150th career win also featured a second pitch clock violation in five weeks.
Cole was flagged for a violation by plate umpire Derek Thomas for throwing an extra pitch in warmups Thursday before the second inning of the New York Yankees‘ 6-0 win over Cleveland. Cole briefly engaged in an animated discussion with Thomas before manager Aaron Boone continued the discussion.
Rookie Jhonkensy Noel, who was not in the batter’s box when Cole was cited, was awarded an automatic ball and drew a three-pitch walk. The violation did not cost the reigning AL Cy Young winner, who allowed one hit in six innings to become the fourth active pitcher with 150 victories.
The violation occurred after Austin Wells struck out for the final out of the first.
“Today, Wells made the last out or was on base. So usually when the catcher makes the last out, there’s grace and they wave off the clock as they wait for the catcher to come out,” Boone said.
“That was the case, but Wells actually did a pretty good job of getting out there ahead of time a little bit at 40 seconds and he said one more by the time he squatted. So it’s almost like us speeding up the game in a way and we’re penalized for it and then we got to hold up. So it felt a little ticky-tacky to me.”
Cole also was called for the same violation by Quinn Wolcott before the second inning on July 19 against Tampa Bay. In New York’s 6-1 win, Cole did not make his final warm-up toss until there were 20 seconds on the pitch clock and grew heated with Wolcott before pitching six innings.
“We tried to get out there and get it done quick,” Cole said. “He moved as quickly as he could. He called it by the letter of the law, so it’s a correct call in that sense.”
New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole has found himself in hot water once again for violating the pitch clock rule during a recent game against the Toronto Blue Jays. This marks the second time in just five weeks that Cole has been penalized for taking too long to warm up between innings.
The pitch clock rule was implemented by Major League Baseball in an effort to speed up the pace of play and keep games moving along at a brisk pace. Pitchers are given a certain amount of time to deliver their pitches once they receive the ball back from the catcher, and if they exceed this time limit, they are subject to a warning or penalty.
In Cole’s case, he was seen taking an extended warmup period between innings, causing him to exceed the allotted time for delivering his pitches. This resulted in a violation of the pitch clock rule and a warning from the umpire.
While some may argue that the pitch clock rule is too strict or unnecessary, it is important to remember that it is in place for a reason. By enforcing this rule, MLB hopes to keep games moving along smoothly and prevent unnecessary delays that can drag out the length of games.
Cole’s repeated violations of the pitch clock rule may be seen as a lack of respect for the game and its rules. As a professional athlete, he is expected to adhere to the rules and regulations set forth by the league, and failing to do so can result in penalties and fines.
It remains to be seen whether Cole will make an effort to improve his adherence to the pitch clock rule in future games. However, it is clear that MLB is serious about enforcing this rule and will not hesitate to penalize players who fail to comply.
In the meantime, fans and analysts alike will be keeping a close eye on Cole and his performance on the mound, hoping that he can avoid any further violations of the pitch clock rule and focus on delivering strong, timely pitches for his team.