MLB Announces Second Pitch Clock

NEW YORK—Following the successful rollout of the pitch clock this season, MLB officials announced Tuesday that the 2024 season would feature a second pitch clock. “With quicker games leading to a majority of fans supporting the pitch clock, it only makes sense to keep doing what works, which is why all games will feature two pitch clocks next year,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said at a press conference, explaining that the second pitch clock would start a split second after the first pitch clock but would count down by 0.93 seconds per second instead of 1 second per second. “We believe that the second pitch clock, running at a slightly different speed than the first pitch clock, will heighten tension and encourage players to move even faster, which will hopefully lead to more hits, more balls in play, and more stolen bases. And if the second pitch clock is successful, you can expect to see a third pitch clock the year after, and a fourth pitch clock the year after that. Maybe we’ll have a swing clock, or an umpire clock. Maybe we’ll have 30 umpires. We’re Major League Baseball. We can do whatever we want.” Manfred went on to tell reporters that he was taking questions but that they would be on a question clock.