Oswaldo Cabrera's second pitch clock violation of the season came at the worst possible time for the Yankees.
With the Yankees trailing the Cardinals by one run in the top of the ninth inning, leadoff batter Cabrera caught the ball to make the count 3-2.
He came out of the batter's box.
He was fiddling with his gloves.
He took a half swing.
But home plate umpire Ben May ruled that Cabrera had not been replaced after eight seconds had passed, and so Cabrera, who was one pitch away from walking with the top of the batting order waiting, was called out. May called the decision “completely my fault,” and the Yankees were unable to score in the remaining innings in their 6-5 loss on Saturday.
“I thought I'd make it in time,” Cabrera said. “I don't know if I'll make it, but at the same time, this is on me, so I've got to be better in those situations. [those are] “rule”
Manager Aaron Boone, who didn't see the replay of the clock that was synchronized to the plate camera, acknowledged there was little reason to blame Maye.
Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley came off the mound after a slider crossed low for the third pitch, and Boone looked up with 10 seconds left and noticed Cabrera “trying to rush the base.”
“So I don't think he was involved until the eighth second mark,” Boone said.
When MLB introduced the pitch clock last year, most of the talk centered on pitch adjustments.
The rules required pitchers to speed up, with 15 seconds between pitches when there were no bases on base and 18 seconds between pitches when there were bases on base.
The limit was even cited as a cause of a spike in arm injuries earlier this season, leading to public recriminations between MLB and the players' union.
Yankees batters have committed 13 timer violations (four in 2023 and nine so far in 2024), but Cabrera's violation came at a critical moment in the game, when Giancarlo Stanton hit a bases-loaded double with two outs in the previous inning to put the team within one run.
Juan Soto also hit a double with two outs in the ninth inning.
“We know the rules,” Boone said. “We've all played them the last few years, so it's on all of us.”
Cabrera, who was hitless in four at-bats and struck out two, made his second career start at first base on Saturday.
Boone said before the game that the 25-year-old Cabrera, who has done everything for the Yankees and has logged playing time at every position except center field and catcher this year, deserves more playing time given his performance over the past month.
Anthony Rizzo is “likely” to return from a rehab assignment on Sunday, which will also limit his opportunities at first base for the remainder of the season.
But one breach brought dire consequences to all of them.
