Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner is known for being an old-school player, but he loves the new MLB rules. The pitch clock, which has been implemented to speed up the pace of play, has been met with mixed reactions from pitchers. Some are comfortable with it and feel largely unaffected. Others are feeling rushed and will need some time to adjust.
Bumgarner reportedly loves the new pitch clock and the effect it has had on Spring Training games. Bumgarner is a four-time MLB All-Star who has seen rule changes throughout his career, but none of this magnitude.
Bob Nightengale reported on Madison Bumgarner's appreciation for the pitch clock via Twitter:
MLB fans are very surprised by his opinion. Madison Bumgarner has been vocal in the past about the league making significant changes to the rules of the game. Some players are wary of change and would like to maintain the traditions of baseball. So his support for this rule change came as a complete surprise.
The pitch clock will force pitchers and batters to go through their routines at a quicker pace than in seasons past. It has already shortened game-times across the league by a significant margin. Some players have already been penalized, but that is expected as the league adjusts to the new rules. As the season progresses, we will likely see fewer and fewer infractions.
It will be fascinating to see who will benefit the most from the MLB pitch clock. Some pitchers will find ways to use it to their advantage while others will struggle to conform. Madison Bumgarner presumably believes he will benefit from it in the long run. Just like the players, some fans love these new changes. Others, not so much.
Madison Bumgarner has done just about all there is to do in the majors and is embracing this new challenge.
Madison Bumgarner and the Arizona Diamondbacks could be surprisingly good in 2023
Bumgarner had the best seasons of his career with the San Francisco Giants. He is still a solid contributor with the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks have quitely built a solid roster that could surprise a lot of fans this season.
They are in a division with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, so they will have their work cut out for them. But it wouldn't be surprising if they ended the season with a winning record.