Thursday night's game between the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates saw the implementation of Major League Baseball's new pitch clock rules. It resulted in the fastest strike-out ever recorded, as Yankees pitcher Wandy Peralta struck out Pirates infielder Tucupita Marcano in just 20 seconds.
Under the new rules, pitchers must begin their motion within 15 seconds with the bases empty or within 20 seconds with runners on base. Since the introduction of the rule, the average game time has dropped from 2 hours and 57 minutes to 2 hours and 39 minutes.
Twitter users were quick to point out the difference between this record-breaking strike out and the slower-paced at-bats of the past. The new rules have significantly improved game times, and the success of this at-bat serves as proof that the rules are having the desired effect.
The MLB has indicated that they are encouraged by the results so far, and are confident that the new rules will help speed up the pace of the game and improve the fan experience.