1B Umpire Angel Hernandez called Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi for an automatic ball at Fenway Park, resulting in a walk to Boston batter JD Martinez, as a result of MLB’s hand-to-mouth rule. Article: https://www.closecallsports.com/2022/04/angels-devil-in-details-on-ball-four.html
Official Baseball Rule 6.02(c)(1) is the first of Major League Baseball’s nine prohibited pitching acts, and states that the pitcher, “While in the 18-foot circle surrounding the pitcher’s plate, touch the ball after touching their mouth or lips, or touch their mouth or lips while in contact with the pitcher’s plate. The pitcher must clearly wipe the fingers of their pitching hand dry before touching the ball or the pitcher’s plate.”
Replays indicate Kikuchi indeed licked his fingers while a foot was touching the pitcher’s plate (the rubber).
The prescribed penalty for an OBR 6.02(c)(1) violation is a warning for the first offense followed by an automatic ball added to the count for any subsequent infractions.
One inning prior to Martinez being awarded first base (with a 3-2 count, the auto-ball resulted in ball four for a BB), Hernandez had warned Kikuchi after a similar hand-to-mouth event. Thus, with a warning already in the books, Hernandez properly administered the automatic ball penalty on the second violation of the rule.
Hernandez is serving as interim crew chief while Sam Holbrook is absent.
JP2021.COM