Padres Star Becomes The First Ejection Over A Pitch Clock Violation

This was bound to happen sooner or later. And you could also say that it was bound to happen to Manny Machado. The San Diego Padres' star was ejected in the first inning for something he said after being rung up for strike three when he took too long to be set in the batter's box. Baseball's very first pitch clock violation ejection.

Manny Machado gets ejected after striking out on a pitch clock violation pic.twitter.com/w71D77ea4f

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 4, 2023

Machado simply took his time tapping his cleats and adjusting his batting gloves, then tried to call a time-out, but it was too late. Umpire Ron Kulpa called strike three, and the inning was over. Zac Gallen gets credit for the strikeout.  

Bob Melvin was giving Manny Machado a half-day off by having him DH.
Manny will now get the rest of the day off. He was ejected after arguing an automatic strike call that finished off a first-inning strikeout.

— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) April 4, 2023

As noted by Padres' beat writer Kevin Acee, the Padres were intending to give Machado a "half-day off" by having him DH instead of manning the hot corner. Now, the six-time All-Star will get all the rest he needs. His day is done.

Machado was also, not surprisingly, the first player in spring training to violate the new pitch clock. 

Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman was the first to be dinged by the pitch clock rule on Opening Night, for not delivering a pitch before the clock expired. He, as you can imagine, was not happy, saying he feels "super-rushed" at times on the mound. 

The violations have so far not been as voluminous as expected, as generally, players around the league have been adjusting quite well. But as for Machado, let's just say he likes to play by his own rules.