DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Enforcement of professional baseball's pace-of-play rules are now in effect.
Under the rules announced in February pitchers have 2 minutes and 25 seconds to begin their windup or come to set between innings. They have 20 seconds to do so between pitches. Batters must be in the box and ready for the pitch when the clock strikes 5.
Starting Friday in the minors, balls and strikes were to be added to the count as penalties against pitchers and batters. In the majors, players were to face possible fines though an agreement is in place to give some leeway through May.