Dodgers: More Balks Likely Coming to MLB in 2023 Thanks to One Change

On Tuesday afternoon, we got an interesting new wrinkle associated with the pitch clock coming to Major League Baseball in 2023. As it turns out, a lot of pitchers will not only need to work more quickly, they'll need to work differently, too.

There’s a good chance more balks are going to be called this season. MLB is cracking down on coming to a full stop in order to make things clear for pitch clock operators and umpires. Essentially, ‘bouncing’ with that front leg is a balk. Think Kevin Gausman.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) February 14, 2023

Rogers mentions Kevin Gausman, and his set position is definitely a notable one.

Former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen has a similar motion in coming set as Gausman, so he will need to make adjustments, too.

The purpose of this new rule (or new enforcement of existing rules, as the case may be) is because the pitch clock says a pitcher must start his pitching delivery within 15 or 20 seconds (bases empty or bases occupied, respectively) of getting the ball back from the catcher or the umpire. This will help clock operators know exactly what constitutes the start of a pitching delivery.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this is that it also applies with no runners on base. Pitchers with crazy windups will run the risk of being called for an illegal pitch (penalty: a ball added to the count) if they don't act like a normal pitcher. Think of Luis Garcia of the Astros or Mike Clevinger or whatever sad team signed Mike Clevinger.

No current Dodgers jump out as having drastic deliveries like these guys, but every pitcher will need to take a look and make sure they're within the rules MLB is setting.

It will be interesting to see if there's actually a noticeable increase in balks in 2023. With this much warning, pitchers have plenty of time to make adjustments, and there's not really a competitive advantage to pushing the limits. But some pitchers are stubborn, so anything is possible.