MLB reaches out to Mets over mishap with new rules

Pete Alonso Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

MLB reaches out to New York Mets over mishap with new rules

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 4/1/23

On Opening Day against the Marlins, the New York Mets were victims of one of the strangest rules violations of the young MLB season. Or so it seemed at the time. The league has since apparently reached out to tell the organization that the strange call should not have happened.

On the play in question, Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil was hit with an automatic strike by plate umpire Larry Vanover due to baserunner Pete Alonso having returned to first base too slowly after taking off on the previous pitch.

Jeff McNeil was given a strike because Pete Alonso took too long getting back to first base pic.twitter.com/XZ4RKlmt9g

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) March 30, 2023

McNeil singled on the next pitch, but the bizarre rules interpretation gained attention throughout the league. Mets manager Buck Showalter said Friday that the league office had reached out to apologize, relaying that McNeil should not have had a strike charged to him.

“By the time Pete got around third base there was another version out there,” Showalter said, via Mike Puma of the New York Post. “[League officials] wanted to make sure everybody was straight, so I appreciate that.”

The new rule leaves a bit of a gray area for base runners, as it does not explicitly spell out their status in relation to the clock. Showalter said that moving forward, baserunners will receive a warning from umpires if they return to a base too slowly.

The pitch clock is inevitably going to require adjustments by all parties early on in the season. This one should be a one-off. Teams can now focus on the other strategic differences that are coming about as a result of its implementation.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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