Yankees' Nestor Cortes Jr. trolls umpire after violating new pitch clock rule

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New York Yankees lefty starter Nestor Cortes Jr. has shown a knack for deception on the mound. But after an umpire called him out for making a wrong move Tuesday, he decided to troll him a bit with his next pitch. 

Cortes was starting for the Yankees against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park Tuesday as his final tuneup before the start of the regular season when he decided to try a quick pitch against Jeimer Candelario. 

But the new MLB pitch clock rules say a batter must be looking at the pitcher prior to a pitch being made. Candelario was still looking down at home plate as Cortes went through a quick motion. And, even though the hitter made contact, the umpire immediately ruled the play dead and called a ball. 

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Nestor Cortes of the New York Yankees pitches during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field Feb. 23, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. (New York Yankees/Getty Images)

Cortes didn’t understand why that call was made, so he decided to mess with Candelario and the umpire.

With about six seconds left on the pitch clock, and Candelario looking his way this time, Cortes went into a windup routine Yankees fans saw all last year. He lifted his leg and went into a fully slow-motion delay, turning back toward second base, looking down at first base and eventually firing the ball in. 

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Because Cortes committed to making a pitch within the pitch clock rules, he was allowed to make Candelario wait in the batter’s box for his delivery. However, there were a few times last season where umpires called the play dead because Cortes took too long to get into the delivery. 

Cortes has always tried to keep hitters on their toes with awkward deliveries, whether it’s one like this or throwing sidearm. Either way, the deception is an added element to his repertoire. 

However, Cortes and every other pitcher in MLB this season must adhere to the pitch clock, which will be set at 15 seconds after each pitch with no one on base and 20 seconds with runners on. The rule was adopted to speed up play, and it has been working in spring training. Games have lasted an average of two hours and 36 minutes, 25 minutes shorter than last year. 

Nestor Cortes of the New York Yankees walks to the dugout during Game 4 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium Oct. 23, 2022, in New York City. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a memo to all 30 teams prior to Opening Day that no major rule changes are planned heading into the season. And that comes despite suggestions to tweak the pitch clock. So the pitch clock rules will remain in place, including an eight-second timer for hitters to be "alert" to the pitcher or a strike will be called on them. 

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"On one hand, we are prepared to make adjustments based on input," Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday, via ESPN. "On the other hand, we want to give it a chance to see how it plays out exactly over a period of adjustment in some regular-season games before we make any significant alterations."

Nestor Cortes of the New York Yankees reacts in the dugout during a Grapefruit League game against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field March 14, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

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Quick pitching, then, will be watched closely by the league as other pitchers, like New York Mets starter Max Scherzer, have tried to do so under the pitch clock rule. It took Yankees reliever Wandy Peralta just over 20 seconds during a spring game to strike one batter out.