MLB's new timing device makes debut during spring training

Baseball's new timing device made its big league debut Friday during a limited schedule of spring training openers.

Tick, tock, Manny Machado. Better watch that pitch clock.

Baseball's new timing device made its big league debut Friday during a limited schedule of spring training openers and wouldn't you know it, it was Machado, the San Diego Padres' All-Star slugger, not a pitcher, who was called for the first violation.

Machado found out the hard way that the pitch clock works both ways. He wasn't fully in the batter's box and facing Seattle Mariners left-hander Robbie Ray as the 15-second clock wound under 8 seconds in the bottom of the first inning. Umpire Ryan Blakney called time and signaled strike one against Machado, who finished second in last season's NL MVP race.

Machado was hardly fazed. He singled on a 2-1 pitch and then collected another single his second time up.

Machado, who batted between fellow superstars Xander Bogaerts and Juan Soto, laughed about it afterward.

"Going into the record books, at least. That's a good one. Not bad," Machado said. "I might just be 0-1 if I can get two hits every game."

If Major League Baseball was looking for immediate results from the new rules designed to improve pace of play, including the pitch clock, it got them. The Mariners won 3-2 in 2 hours, 29 minutes, which is fast for any game, spring or regular season.