Three batter minimum (MLB)

[spark2212]

I have a friend who told me there was a Yankees game a few days ago where the team was allowed to make a pitching change before facing three batters because the other team put in a pinch-hitter.

I told him the only mid-inning exception to the three batter rule is for injury or illness, but he seems convinced. Does anyone have any idea what he’s talking about?

[Tborze]

59 minutes ago, spark2212 said:

I have a friend who told me there was a Yankees game a few days ago where the team was allowed to make a pitching change before facing three batters because the other team put in a pinch-hitter.

I told him the only mid-inning exception to the three batter rule is for injury or illness, but he seems convinced. Does anyone have any idea what he’s talking about?

I saw highlights of this. It took the umpires a while to come to the conclusion that it was legal. 
 

[spark2212]

4 minutes ago, Tborze said:

I saw highlights of this. It took the umpires a while to come to the conclusion that it was legal. 
 

But why was it legal? What about the three batter rule? Also, which game was it? My friend couldn’t tell me. 

[Tborze]

1 minute ago, spark2212 said:

But why was it legal? What about the three batter rule? Also, which game was it? My friend couldn’t tell me. 

I’m not sure of the legality of it.  Maybe because there was a pinch hitter?  
I can’t recall who they played. 
Check “close call sports “ on YouTube. It might have been there. 

[spark2212]

2 minutes ago, Tborze said:

I’m not sure of the legality of it.  Maybe because there was a pinch hitter?  
I can’t recall who they played. 
Check “close call sports “ on YouTube. It might have been there. 

As far as I can see, the official rule makes no mention of any exceptions for pinch hitters. 

[flyingron]

The only thing I've seen recently along those lines (and it did show up on CCS involving the Yankees) was not the three batter minimum, but whether the manager could make a second trip to the mound to switch the pitcher.    This is allowed because there was a pitch hitter announced prior to the  5.10(l)(4) says the manager can go to the mound a second time to change the pitcher.

He had pitched to five batters at that point, so that wasn't the problem.

 

https://www.closecallsports.com/2022/06/ask-uefl-16-minute-pitching-change-or.html#more

[Velho]

9 minutes ago, flyingron said:

He had pitched to five batters at that point, so that wasn't the problem.

He had pitched to 4 batters but point is the same: 3 batters faced minimum had been reached. He had only gotten 2 outs so maybe that's where OP's friend's confusion came from?.

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/rays-vs-yankees/2022/06/15/661327#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=play-by-play,game=661327

[spark2212]

1 hour ago, Velho said:

He had pitched to 4 batters but point is the same: 3 batters faced minimum had been reached. He had only gotten 2 outs so maybe that's where OP's friend's confusion came from?.

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/rays-vs-yankees/2022/06/15/661327#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=play-by-play,game=661327

He had pitched to four batters. Thank you. That’s all I wanted to know.