MLB Game Ends In Historically Awkward Fashion

A first-of-its-kind fear was realized over the weekend in a Major League Baseball game between the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies.

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In the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday, the Nationals and Rockies were tied at 7 at Coors Field. The Rockies loaded the bases with nobody out, and appeared well on their way to winning via a walk-off. They could’ve won on anything — a hit, walk, sacrifice fly, hit by pitch, wild pitch, balk, etc. — but ended up winning on something that’s never ended a major league game.

They won on a pitch clock violation.

With a 3-2 count, Nationals reliever Kyle Finnegan took a little too long to throw the payoff pitch to Rockies infielder Ryan MacMahon. Home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt jumped out of his stance, pointed to his wrist to signal a pitch clock violation, and the fans at Coors Field erupted in celebration.

This is the first ever walk-off pitch clock violation in MLB history. Major League Baseball implemented the pitch clock ahead of the 2023 season. Players adjusted quickly to avoid pitch clock violations on all but rare occasions.

There are times when pitchers end up feeling rushed. Clearly, this was one of those times. Pitchers have 15 seconds between pitches when the bases are empty and 18 seconds in between pitches with runners on base – down from 20 seconds, as was the case in 2023. Finnegan, however, needed 19 seconds to throw a very important pitch in Saturday night’s game.

The Rockies ended up getting the win on what is technically a walk-off walk in the box score. However, it also ended up being history as the first ever walk-off pitch clock violation. It was the Rockies’ 27th win of the season.

The Nationals enter play on Monday as one of many teams fighting for a spot in the crowded National League Wild Card race. Entering Monday, the Nationals sat at 38-39, just a half game back of the San Diego Padres for the third and final Wild Card spot.

This finish shouldn’t haunt them too much, though, as there was a good chance they ended up losing Saturday night’s game anyway. The pitch that Finnegan threw ended up being out of the strike zone. On the off-chance the pitch clock violation affected Finnegan and caused him throw a ball, he faced a tall task getting out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam.

The Nationals were able to come back on Sunday to win the series with a 2-1 victory, and will now forever be a part of MLB history.

As for the Rockies, this will likely turn out to be one of the best moments in an otherwise disappointing season.