With the new pitch clock rules in place, gamesmanship is already evolving. In the ninth inning of a close Red Sox vs. Cardinals game, Willson Contreras took full advantage of how pitchers and batters must be ready and make eye contact before a pitch can be thrown. On multiple pitches, Contreras kept one foot outside the box while appearing ready with his upper body and bat, tricking Kenley Jansen into violations. The first time was a warning. The second, third, and fourth times were called automatic balls, handing Contreras a walk without swinging. Contreras admitted after the game that it was intentional. Jansen, one of the slowest pitchers in past seasons, had tried to speed up his rhythm but ended up rushing too fast, missing key readiness checks.
The Cardinals used this strategy to nudge momentum. After Contreras walked and a stolen base, a two-strike fastball was ripped to right field, scoring a runner and cutting the lead to one. A botched double play on the next pitch allowed the tying run to score. Jansen threw what should have been a routine out into the dirt, and the Red Sox couldn’t recover in time. Even Lars Nootbaar later triggered another balk-style violation, though possibly unintentional.
Despite the chaos, Jansen managed to settle in and finish the inning. But by then, the damage was done. Postgame, Jansen admitted he learned a tough lesson about staying aware under the pitch clock. Contreras was clear he was trying to disrupt timing to help the team win. The shift in rhythm, forced violations, and confusion showed how players can now weaponize the pitch clock against opponents not fully dialed into the new rule set.