Red Sox Star Rafael Devers Becomes 1st Player to Strike Out on Pitch-Clock Violation

Rafael Devers is the face of the Boston Red Sox, and while he posted two hits and an RBI entering the ninth inning of Thursday's Opening Day matchup against the Baltimore Orioles, he also made a crucial mistake.

On a 1-2 count in the bottom of the eighth inning with no runners on base and no outs, Devers was called for strike three and ruled out on a pitch-clock violation after not stepping into the batter's box within the allotted time.

Devers is the first player in Major League Baseball to strike out on a pitch-clock violation.

The pitch-clock rule was implemented ahead of the 2023 season to create a quicker pace of play. There is a 30-second timer between batters, a 15-second timer with the bases empty and a 20-second timer with runners on base.

Batters must be in the box and ready to go by the eight-second mark. If they aren't, an automatic strike is called.

Considering the pitch clock is a new rule, it's going to take some time for every player around the league to get used to. At least for Devers, he learned the rule the hard way in Boston's first game of the season.