Game times drop to 2:40 with new clock
Average nine-inning contest at 1985 level
The average time of a nine-inning major league game dropped to 2 hours, 40 minutes in the first year of the pitch clock, a 24-minute decrease in a season of change, MLB announced Monday.
The average game time dropped to its 1985 level after passing 3 hours for the first time in 2016. It reached a record 3:10 in 2021 before the introduction of the Pitch Com electronic pitch-calling device helped bring it down to 3:04 last year. Over the objections of the players’ association, MLB instituted a pitch clock set at 15 seconds with the bases empty and 20 seconds with runners on base.
There were nine 3½-hour games, down from a record 390 in 2021.
Miami had the fastest average at just under 2:35, while Baltimore and San Diego topped the majors at 2:44.
MLB’s clock will remain the same for the postseason, which averaged 3:23 for nine-inning games last year.
As part of the clock, MLB instituted penalties for violations that included balls against pitchers and strikes against batters. The Mets led with 57 violations.
The Pirates topped pitcher violations with 41. Washington led batter violations with 17. Philadelphia reliever Craig Kimbrel had the most individual violations with 13. Washington’s Ildemaro Vargas led batters with five.
Also, attendance topped 70 million for the first time in six years.
Mets introduce Stearns
David Stearns was formally appointed the first president of baseball operations in Mets history, taking over the hometown team he cheered as a child.
The former Milwaukee Brewers boss was introduced by owner Steve Cohen at a Citi Field news conference on the heels of a hugely disappointing season. Despite championship aspirations and a record $355 million payroll on opening day, New York dropped out of playoff contention by midsummer and finished fourth in the National League East.
“I’m thrilled to be here. This is my home. It’s nice to be back,” Stearns said. “I’ve got plenty of work to do.”
The 38-year-old executive was placed above general manager Billy Eppler and under Cohen in a working structure fairly common around baseball but new to the Mets. Stearns will lead a search for the team’s next manager after Buck Showalter was fired Sunday.
“I view the managerial position as one of true partnership,” Stearns said.
Lowes’s mom in cancer fight
The mother of Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe and Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe will not make the trip to St. Petersburg, Fla., for the AL Wild Card Series featuring her sons that begins Tuesday because she is battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.
The Lowe brothers, who both began their pro careers in the Tampa Bay minor league system, first shared a major league field together when the Rays and Rangers met at Tropicana Field in June. The Rangers acquired Nathaniel in a December
2020 trade, while Josh was still making his way through the minor leagues.
Wendy Lowe and husband Dave attended that series, and she wore a custom, split baseball jersey — one half a white Rays uniform, the other in Rangers blue, with “Lowe” written across the back.
Brewers to miss Woodruff
Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff will miss this week’s NL Wild Card Series against Arizona because of a right shoulder injury.
“Frankly, his availability for the postseason is up in the air at this point,” manager Craig Counsell said, a day before the opener of the best-of-three series against the Diamondbacks.
Woodruff is dealing with what Counsell described as a capsular injury. He had been expected to start Game 2 for the NL Central champions, following Corbin Burnes.
Woodruff was 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 11 starts. He made two starts in April, then was sidelined until Aug. 6 with a subscapular strain.
Angels send Nevin packing
Phil Nevin will not return as the Los Angeles Angels’ manager next season. The Angels announced that they are declining their contract option for 2024 on Nevin, who managed for the last 1½ seasons. Nevin went 119-149 in his first major league managerial job while both of his teams missed the playoffs. He was promoted to the Angels’ top job in June 2022 when Joe Maddon was fired . . . Manager Bob Melvin and general manager A.J. Preller appear to be safe with the San Diego Padres after owner Peter Seidler said in a statement that the current leadership team “continues to have my full support.” San Diego (82-80) came into the season with World Series expectations after making a stirring run to the NLCS last fall and then increasing their payroll to around $250 million, the third highest in baseball.