NEW YORK — Major League Baseball’s new rules are working as hoped through the first four days of the season.
The average game time has dropped by 30 minutes, stolen bases have doubled and batting average has increased by 16 percentage points compared to last year’s opening weekend.
Games averaged 2 hours, 38 minutes through Sunday with the new pitch clock, down from 3:08 for the first four days of the 2022 season and a 3:04 final average.
In the first year of restrictions on defensive shifts, the .246 batting average for nine-inning games was up from .230 over the first four days last year, when many games were played in cold and wet weather. Left-handed batting average increased to .232 from .229 in last year’s first four days and right-handed average went up to .254 from .230.
Larger bases have cut the distance between bags by 4 1/2 inches, and stolen bases rose to an average of 1.4 per game from 0.6.
“I think it’s in everybody’s mind, like, whoa, I can run more. And the more you run and you’re successful with it, the more you’re going to run,” Los Angeles Angels Manager Phil Nevin said.
Success rate on steal attempts rose to 85% from 67.4%.
The clock has had a noticeable impact, with Colorado-San Diego taking 2:03 on Sunday, Cleveland-Seattle 2:04 on Saturday and the New York Mets-Miami 2:09 on Friday.
“I don’t think it’s wrong to take a semi-victory lap right now,” Mets Manager Buck Showalter said, “but we’ll see how it evolves.”
There were 41 pitch-clock violations in the first 50 games, an average of 0.82. Of those, 29 were on pitchers, 11 on batters and one on a catcher.
San Francisco and Cleveland tied for the high with four violations each, and Colorado, Detroit, Houston, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee, Minnesota and Washington had none.
WHITE SOX: Closer Liam Hendriks says he was beginning his final round of chemotherapy on Monday.
Hendriks, battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma, made the announcement in an eight-second video shown prior to Chicago’s home opener against the San Francisco Giants.
Hendriks, a three-time All-Star, announced the diagnosis in January.
MINOR LEAGUES: Major League Baseball owners unanimously approved an initial five-year labor contract with minor league players that will more than double player salaries.
The agreement was reached last Wednesday and ratified by players on Friday.
ANGELS: Third baseman Anthony Rendon says he is dropping his appeal after his suspension was reduced to four games by Major League Baseball for his interactions with a fan last week.
Rendon spoke before the Angels opened a series in Seattle on Monday night and said the league had agreed to reduce his suspension from five games to four. The initial five-game suspension was handed down by MLB senior vice president Michael Hill earlier and the appeal by Rendon was immediate.
Rendon’s suspension will begin with Monday’s game and he will sit the entire series against Seattle.
Rendon grabbed a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s 2-1 loss at Oakland.
DIAMONDBACKS: Pitcher Madison Bumgarner had an MRI in Phoenix after feeling fatigue during his first outing of the season and is OK to make his next start, Manager Torey Lovullo said.
“Everything is fine,” Lovullo said before the Diamondbacks opened a two-game series at San Diego. “He just probably overcooked it a little bit in between starts in preparation. It was more overprepping than anything.”
Lovullo said MadBum is scheduled to start on regular rest Friday night at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
MONDAY’S GAMES
BREWERS 10, METS 0: Rookie Brice Turang hit a grand slam for his first major league home run, capping a seven-run fifth inning as the Milwaukee opened its home schedule by routing New York.
Brian Anderson also homered and Freddy Peralta pitched six innings of two-hit ball as the Brewers won their third straight. This marked Milwaukee’s first shutout victory in a home opener since a 2-0 triumph over Atlanta in 2014.
Shut out in their first 16 innings this season, the Brewers have scored 22 runs in their last 20 innings.
The day started poorly for the Mets when Carlos Carrasco received a pitch-clock violation before throwing his first pitch. That set the tone for the rest of an afternoon in which they compiled more clock violations (four) than hits (three). New York has lost 14 of its last 17 games at Milwaukee.
GIANTS 12, WHITE SOX 3: David Villar hit two of San Francisco’s seven home runs, Anthony DeSclafani tossed three-hit ball over six scoreless innings and San Francisco won at Chicago.
Villar hit a solo homer in the fifth and a grand slam in the ninth. Joc Pederson, Michael Conforto, Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski and Bryce Johnson also went deep for San Francisco, which hit its most home runs since July 2, 2002, at Colorado. The team record of eight was eight at Milwaukee on April 30, 1961, when Willie Mays hit four.
The Giants broke out in a big way after being shut out twice while losing two of three in their opening series at the New York Yankees, and spoiled Chicago’s first home game under Manager Pedro Grifol.
REDS 7, CUBS 6: Jason Vosler, a nonroster invitee to spring training, hit a go-ahead three-run home run, his second of the season, as Cincinnati held off visiting Chicago.
RAYS 4, NATIONALS 0: Luke Raley homered twice, Drew Rasmussen pitched six shutout innings and visiting Tampa Bay beat Washington for the first 4-0 start in team history.
Isaac Paredes had a homer and a single for the Rays, who have outscored opponents 27-5 in four games. Raley had his first big league multihomer game.
Rasmussen (1-0) allowed two singles and didn’t walk a batter while striking out seven. He threw 50 of 66 pitches for strikes.
TWINS 11, MARLINS 1: Max Kepler hit a leadoff homer, Joey Gallo added a three-run shot and Minnesota won at Miami to remain unbeaten this season.
Trevor Larnach also went deep and Tyler Mahle pitched five solid innings for the Twins, who swept their opening series in Kansas City and are 4-0 for the ninth time in franchise history. The last time was 2017.
YANKEES 8, PHILLIES 1: Gleyber Torres hit his 100th career homer and reached base five times, Anthony Rizzo added a two-run shot and New York routed winless Philadelphia at New York.
Defending NL champion Philadelphia is 0-4 for the first time since 2016.
Nestor Cortes (1-0) allowed one run and seven hits over five innings and made a key defensive play in his season debut. The All-Star’s spring training was disrupted by a strained right hamstring that prevented him from participating in the World Baseball Classic.
Cortes has allowed one run or fewer 16 times since the start of the last season.
With the Yankees ahead 3-1 in the fifth, J.T. Realmuto hit a single to right and Franchy Cordero’s throw to the plate sailed over catcher Jose Trevino. Cortes backed up the play, caught Cordero’s throw and relayed to third baseman DJ LeMahieu, who tagged Brandon Marsh on the back. Cortes yelled and slightly pumped a fist.
Cordero made his first start for the Yankees and hit a two-run double in a five-run fifth. Trevino added an RBI single in the inning as New York sent 10 batters to the plate.
Taijuan Walker (0-1), making his Phillies debut after signing a $72 million, four-year contract, allowed four runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.
ORIOLES 2, RANGERS 0: Rangers outfielder Josh Smith was taken to a hospital after he was hit in the face by a pitch in the third inning of a loss to visiting Baltimore.
Smith, a left-handed hitter, was struck on the right side of his face by a 1-0 slider from Danny Coulombe. Smith spun back to his left and dropped to the dirt in the batter’s box, breaking his fall with his left hand while holding his face with his right hand.
Gunnar Henderson and Jorge Mateo homered for Baltimore, and Tyler Wells provided a lift with five hitless innings in relief.
ROYALS 9, BLUE JAYS 5: Brady Singer pitched five effective innings, MJ Melendez hit a two-run homer and Kansas City broke loose early to beat visiting Toronto for its first victory of the season.
Nicky Lopez had a two-run triple and Bobby Witt Jr. delivered a pair of RBI singles as the Royals opened a 7-0 lead in the fourth against José Berríos and gave Matt Quatraro his first win as manager.
Singer (1-0) allowed just two hits — doubles by Matt Chapman — with three walks and three strikeouts. He is 7-0 with a 1.68 ERA in his last 10 starts at Kauffman Stadium dating to June 26 last year.
BRAVES 8, CARDINALS 4: Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a three-run homer, leading Atlanta to a win at St. Louis.
Acuña finished 3 for 4 with a double and a single. He also drew a walk and scored two runs.
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