Kenley Jansen Called for 3 Pitch Timer Violations in Boston

Red Sox pitcher Kenley Jansen was called for three pitch timer violations by HP Umpire Derek Thomas in Boston en route to a St Louis come-from-behind win...what happened? To investigate the clock issue, we look at baseball's Max Scherzer Rule, and the order of operations regarding Set Position and the batter coming alert in the box.

With the BoSox holding a 3-1 lead in the top of the 9th inning against St Louis, closer Jansen began his final frame by walking Cardinals batter Paul Goldschmidt on four pitches before committing a pitch timer infraction during Willson Contreras' at-bat. HP Umpire Thomas actually warned Jansen the first time he violated, but Jansen went on to violate the rule two more times during Contreras' at-bat, leading to another walk.

Despite Thomas and Crew Chief Vic Carapazza meeting with Jansen and other Red Sox players on the mound to inform them of the rule, Jansen once again violated during Lars Nootbaar's at-bat.

The rule violated was the so-called Max Scherzer rule, a pace of play initiative by MLB that prohibits a pitcher from coming set (in Set Position) prior to the batter taking their position in the batter's box and becoming alert to the pitcher (in an imminent hitting stance).

Scherzer Rule Summarized

1) The batter steps into the box and is alert to the pitcher by the eight-second mark of the pitch clock.

2) The pitcher comes set (unless working in Windup Position) and delivers or disengages prior to zero.

Penalty: A pitcher coming set before the batter is in the box and alert is warned the first time they infract. After this, any subsequent violations will result in an automatic ball added to the count.

Because Jansen appeared to go from stretch to set prior to batter Contreras (and later Nootbaar) fully stepping into the batter's box and becoming alert to the pitcher in an imminent hitting stance, HP Umpire Thomas enforced the rule and its penalty: the first infraction resulted in a warning while each subsequent violation resulted in the penalty of an automatic ball added to the count.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Jansen keeps coming set before the batter is in the box, so Thomas keeps calling it