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KBO amends rules to speed up game

March 17, 2021

 The South Korean baseball league announced Wednesday it has amended pace-of-play rules to speed up the game starting this year.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said a batter leading off an inning must enter the box within one minute and 55 seconds, compared to two minutes and five seconds previously.

The home plate umpire will warn the batter who fails to reach the box on time. The hitter who takes more than two minutes to get there will be fined 200,000 won (US$177).

This image provided by the Korea Baseball Organization on Oct. 8, 2020, shows its emblem. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

This image provided by the Korea Baseball Organization on Oct. 8, 2020, shows its emblem. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The KBO said this change is to help enforce the current rule requiring the first pitch of a new inning to be thrown no more than two minutes after the final out of the previous inning.

Following a pitching change, a batter must be back in the box within two minutes and 15 seconds.

Managers and pitching coaches must adhere to the 30-second clock on mound visits.

When arguing a call, managers will receive a warning after three minutes and then will be ejected after four minutes. Previously, warnings came after three minutes, followed by ejections after five minutes.

The KBO said the changes will take effect at the start of the exhibition season on Saturday.