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CHICAGO — Cubs starter Marcus Stroman was called for a pitch clock violation during the third inning of Chicago’s season-opening 4-0 win over Milwaukee on Thursday, making him the first player to be penalized under the new rule during a regular-season game.

Stroman took his place in baseball’s history book for this oddity when he took too long to deliver a 1-2 pitch to the Brewers’ Christian Yelich. Stroman was checking on the Brewers’ Brice Turang, who was on second base, and the clock expired just before Stroman delivered a pitch from the stretch.

“It’s tough, man,” Stroman said. “It’s tough, this pitch clock. It’s a big adjustment. I don’t think people really realize it. It just adds a whole other layer of thinking.”

Joining Stroman in the history book will be home plate umpire Ron Kulpa, who emphatically pointed to the pitch clock and shouted out the violation. Yelich took advantage of the free ball two pitches later by drawing a walk. The Brewers did not score in the inning.

Under the new rules, pitchers have 15 seconds to deliver a pitch with the bases empty and 20 seconds if a runner is on base. The penalty for a pitcher running out of time is an automatic ball.

While the majority of big league pitchers were able to get mostly acclimated to the new clock during spring training, Stroman had a limited opportunity to do so because of his participation in the World Baseball Classic, pitching for Puerto Rico.

Tasked with making his first Opening Day start as a member of the Cubs, Stroman had plenty on his plate without the new rules. A routine-oriented pitcher who mixes up his pace depending on the game situation, Stroman says the pitch clock is a complicating factor for sure and one that might throw some pitchers off.

“I do feel super rushed at times,” Stroman said. “Even between innings. I’m running out there very early to warm up in between. A foul comes up and you don’t even have time to rub the [new] ball up.

“And I’m a big breather. Sometimes I’m not able to catch my breath and find my proper breathing that I do before pre-pitch. It’s definitely been a dynamic that’s going to be tough on some guys.”

Stroman recovered from the penalty just fine, earning the win over the Brewers and ace righty Corbin Burnes. Stroman threw six shutout innings in one of his better outings since joining Chicago as a free agent before the 2022 season.

It was a memorable day, given the pomp of a Wrigley Field opener, but because of the historic nature of that first pitch clock faux pas, it’s an outing that will be immortalized in the collection of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, which will seek a relic from the game to mark the occasion.

That means Stroman is headed for the Hall of Fame, albeit for a reason that he didn’t exactly dream about. Still, that’s not what he is most going to remember from the festive, chilly afternoon at the Friendly Confines.

“These are the moments it’s so hard to replicate,” Stroman said. “So I’m very grateful and thankful to have been in this moment, to have the opening day start and to go out there and get the win in front of the incredible home crowd. I’m just excited and happy to be here.”

In another first on Opening Day, Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers made history by becoming the first player to strike out on a pitch clock violation. Leading off the 8th inning with Boston down 10-4, Devers was looking down and kicking his cleats when umpire Lance Barksdale called the violation.

The violation happened with a runner in scoring position, and with Boston coming back in the ninth inning to bring the score within a run, 10-9, the strikeout could have affected the game’s outcome.

“There’s no excuses,” Cora said. “They know the rules. We know the rules.”

J.D. Davis of the San Francisco Giants became the first hitter called for a pitch clock violation in the ninth inning of a game at Yankee Stadium. Davis took too long getting into the box to begin an at-bat against Ron Marinaccio, prompting plate ump Laz Diaz to penalize him with an automatic strike. Davis went on to strike out.

A few minutes later, Atlanta Braves reliever Collin McHugh put his arms out wide after being called for a violation by umpire Dan Bellino in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals. That put batter Jeimer Candelario ahead 1-0, and McHugh followed up with three more balls — a three-pitch walk, essentially.

“I didn’t even realize it happened, quite honestly,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s going to happen.”

New York Mets All-Star Jeff McNeil was angered by a violation called by plate umpire Larry Vanover in the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins. McNeil was waiting for baserunner Pete Alonso to retreat to first after a foul ball when Vanover dinged him for an automatic strike. That prompted an argument with McNeil and Mets manager Buck Showalter, who seemed irritated the pitch clock began before Alonso returned to first.

It worked out for McNeil — he grounded an RBI single a few pitches later.

–ESPN’s Joon Lee and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ohtani takes Miz deep but phenom fans 12 in win

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Ohtani takes Miz deep but phenom fans 12 in win

MILWAUKEE — Shohei Ohtani greeted Jacob Misiorowski with a leadoff homer, but the Milwaukee Brewers‘ rookie phenom got the last word.

After giving up Ohtani’s 431-foot blast, Misiorowski responded with another dominant outing. He struck out a career-high 12 batters — including two-way superstar Ohtani in the third inning — to lead the Brewers to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

“It’s Shohei Ohtani,” Misiorowski said. “You kind of expect [that]. It’s cool to see him do it in action, but it fires me up even more coming back the next at-bat and striking him out. I’m right there. I think it was a moment of like, ‘OK, now we go.'”

Misiorowski, whose fastball routinely tops 100 mph, threw an 88.2 mph curveball on an 0-2 count to Ohtani, who crushed it for his 31st homer. That’s the most by a Dodgers player before the All-Star break.

It was the 21st career leadoff homer for the three-time MVP, who struck out swinging on a curveball in the third and walked to start the sixth. That was the only walk given up by Misiorowski, who scattered four hits.

“Really good stuff, aggressive in the zone,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “But what really stood out to me was his command and control.”

Misiorowski outdueled three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, who surpassed 3,000 career strikeouts in his previous outing. Asked Monday about his matchup with Misiorowski, Kershaw said he only knew that the 6-foot-7 right-hander threw hard.

“I know him now, huh?” Kershaw said Tuesday. “That was super impressive. That was unbelievable. It was really special. Everything. Obviously the velo, but he’s got four pitches, commands the ball. I don’t know how you hit that, honestly. That’s just really tough.”

Misiorowski was glad to get Kershaw’s attention.

“I saw something online that he didn’t now who I was, so I hope he knows me now,” Misiorowski said. “It’s kind of cool.”

In five starts since the Brewers called him up from the minors, Misiorowski has already beaten Kershaw and 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. In another outing, Misiorowski carried a perfect game into the seventh inning.

“He’s just broken the shell,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “He’s just out of the egg, all arms and legs. He’s still got gooey stuff coming off, you can see it, all arms and legs, but there’s something special about him.”

The numbers would indicate as much. Misiorowski is 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA and has given up only 12 hits in 25⅔ innings.

He topped out at 101.6 mph and threw 20 pitches of at least 100 on Tuesday. He also threw 19 curveballs after using curves only 10% of the time before Tuesday.

He was coming off his only shaky performance, giving up five runs — including a grand slam by Brandon Nimmo — and three walks over 3⅔ innings Wednesday in a 7-3 loss to the New York Mets.

It looked as if it might be more of the same after Ohtani went deep. Misiorowski responded by striking out 12 of the next 16 batters.

“I think that’s my job, is to figure it out on the fly,” he said. “I feel like I did it tonight.”

He got out of a jam in the sixth. The Dodgers trailed 2-1 and had runners on second and third with one out, but third baseman Andruw Monasterio fielded a grounder and threw out Ohtani at the plate, and Misiorowski retired Michael Conforto on a grounder.

Misiorowski pumped his fist as he headed toward the dugout, then watched the Brewers’ bullpen nail down the win.

“It’s so satisfying,” Misiorowski said. “It’s just a dream come true, to do what I did.”

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Giants walk off on Bailey’s inside-the-park homer

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Giants walk off on Bailey's inside-the-park homer

SAN FRANCISCO — Patrick Bailey hit a three-run, inside-the-park home run with one out in the ninth inning, lifting the San Francisco Giants to a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.

Bailey became just the third catcher in MLB history to hit a walk-off, inside-the-park home run, joining the Chicago Cubs’ Pat Moran in 1907 and the Washington Nationals’ Bennie Tate in 1926.

Bailey’s homer would have been an outside-the-park home run in 29 of 30 ballparks, with Oracle Park being the exception.

Mike Yastrzemski reached base twice and scored to help the Giants to their sixth win in seven games.

Casey Schmitt began the rally with a leadoff double. After Jung Hoo Lee popped out, Wilmer Flores lined a single to center.

Bailey, who grounded into a double play and struck out in two of his previous at-bats, then smashed a 1-0 fastball from Jordan Romano (1-4) into right-center field that ricocheted off the brick part of the wall.

Ryan Walker (2-3) retired one batter, with two on in the top of the ninth, to earn the win.

Phillies All-Star Kyle Schwarber had two hits, including his team-leading 28th home run.

Schwarber flew out, struck out and was hit by a pitch before homering off Giants reliever Spencer Bivens into McCovey Cove. Brandon Marsh, who singled as a pinch hitter leading off the inning, scored on the play.

Two days after being named an All-Star for the second time in his career, Robbie Ray gave up four hits and one run in 5⅔ innings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Mets’ Mendoza: Snubbed Soto ‘an All-Star for us’

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Mets' Mendoza: Snubbed Soto 'an All-Star for us'

BALTIMORE — The New York Mets consider Juan Soto to be a bona fide All-Star, despite the snub he received from those who selected the National League squad for the Midsummer Classic on July 15.

Soto, in his first year with the Mets, has performed well enough to earn the respect of his manager and teammates. In their opinion, he’s deserving of a place in the All-Star Game next week in Atlanta.

“He’s an All-Star for us,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday night after the Mets beat Baltimore 7-6. “It’s frustrating, but I’m hoping in the next couple of days we hear something and he makes it.”

Soto drove in the winning run with a sharp single on the first pitch of the 10th inning. That capped a night in which he went 3 for 5 to raise his batting average to .269 with 21 homers and 52 RBIs.

Soto has walked 72 times, by far the most in the majors, but he can also lash out at a pitcher when necessary.

“He’s got a pretty good understanding of what the pitchers are trying to do to him,” Mendoza said. “There is his awareness of the game, he’s going to see pitchers. There are times when he’s going to be aggressive. Tonight was one of those nights. First pitch in the 10th, he’s attacking.”

Soto made the All-Star team as a member of the Nationals, Padres and Yankees each year since 2021. The streak appears to be over. But his teammates believe he deserves to go.

“What he done all year is just incredible, and the results are good enough,” Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes said. “The consistency he’s showed up with, at the at-bats he’s taken, is more than an All-Star. He’s one of the best in the game and a big part of our lineup.”

Soto seems rather philosophical about the snub.

“Sometimes, you’re going to make it and sometimes you don’t,” he told reporters after Sunday’s loss to the Yankees. “It’s just part of baseball.”

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