""A pitcher was using a black glove and our advance scout picked up light reflecting off that glove," Royals general manager J.J. Picollo recalled recently. "The deal was this: If you see the light reflecting off the glove, it's his breaking ball. If you don't see any light, it's his fastball. Because it's how he turned his glove at the right angle. "We scored a bunch of runs because of it.""
"That warning in the 2025 World Series carried over to this season as MLB is enforcing a new rule requiring the base coaches to stay in their box before the pitch is thrown. It's a good indication of how much time and energy teams are devoting to this issue, combining their staffing with advanced technology in an attempt to pick up the slightest patterns -- from their opponents and own pitchers alike.."
A decade ago a Royals advance scout identified a pitcher's glove reflecting light that signaled a breaking ball, enabling timely communication and extra runs. Pitch tipping has grown more prominent, shaping several series in the 2025 MLB playoffs, including matchups involving the Dodgers, Reds, Yankees, Blue Jays and Phillies. Base coaches in the World Series were warned about leaving the box, and MLB now enforces a rule requiring base coaches to remain in the box before pitches. Teams are dedicating staffing and advanced technology to detect subtle pitcher patterns. Front offices emphasize preventing their own pitchers from tipping signs.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]