It looks like New York Yankees utility player José Caballero will have to change his routine at the plate.
Major League Baseball has informed Caballero that he'll no longer be allowed to wait until just before the pitch clock reaches eight seconds to acknowledge an opposing pitcher.
"They are the league. They control (the rules), and I have to obey," Caballero said, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
Caballero's pre-pitch routine has been a contentious issue this season, with his perceived stall tactics leading to benches clearing between the Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday.
Benches clear in the 8th inning of the Pirates-Yankees game in New York. pic.twitter.com/YR4SSFSHfp
— MLB (@MLB) July 21, 2026
On Wednesday, the Yankees infielder ripped MLB and its umpires after he received a pitch-clock violation for using similar tactics in the batter's box. Caballero could be heard telling home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott, "You're picking on me."
Enough with José Caballero’s stall tactics. He found a tiny loophole in rule, so good for him. But for what? To annoy opposing pitchers and get a pitch clock violation once a month? Guess what, it’s annoying many more than the pitcher now. pic.twitter.com/owSCAgeQV1
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 22, 2026
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he's had multiple conversations with the league about Caballero's routine and conceded that the infielder will have to adjust.
"At the end of the day, they decide the rules," Boone said. "We have to try and comply with them, which we certainly have done. There obviously needs to be some kind of adjustment, so we'll do that."
No one took issue with Caballero's routine during the Yankees' 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in the contest.
