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New York Yankees infielder Jose Caballero’s pitch-clock maneuvers irritated several games earlier this week.
On Monday night, the benches cleared against the Pittsburgh Pirates after pitcher Dennis Santana had some choice words for Caballero, and two days later, hot mics caught Caballero in a heated discussion with an umpire.
In short, Caballero became known for waiting until the last possible second to make eye contact with the pitcher, which in the pitch-clock era is necessary before a pitcher comes to set or begins his windup. Batters and pitchers have up to eight seconds to become alert to the opponent.
New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero reacts after being called for a clock violation by home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott during the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on July 22, 2026. (John Jones/Imagn Images)
However, Caballero did as usual on Wednesday afternoon and was quickly called for a violation before retiring, despite having looked up even a second earlier. Mics picked up on Caballero saying the ref was “coming after” him. Home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott said Caballero “couldn’t do the three-four second thing in the box anymore.”
Caballero responded that he had “done my damn routine,” and manager Aaron Boone said the umps were “making up rules as they went along.”
Manager Aaron Boone said neither he nor anyone else at the Yankees was aware that Caballero could potentially be called for violations. However, Wolcott cited MLB rules, which state that batters’ maneuvers “intended to deceive a pitcher into beginning his windup or arriving at the set position” will first result in warnings before being called for clock violations.
Crew chief Adrian Johnson said Caballero had “been warned all season,” leading to a change in how he is treated.
New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero leaves the field after the benches were cleared during the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on July 20, 2026. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
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“He was warned all season. We were ordered not to warn him. We were ordered to violate him. It is what it is. It’s a violation,” he told a pool reporter.
So, as long as the umpires believe Caballero is deliberately baiting pitchers, the Yankees might have a losing battle here.
Johnson also said the violation was a result of the bench clearing incident that occurred Monday.
“He’s not allowed to spend an inordinate amount of time looking down trying to get the pitcher to cause a violation,” Wolcott told a pool reporter. “There is no other hitter who enters the box, who takes as long as Caballero looking down, not making eye contact with the pitcher. Obviously, that has caused a lot of problems in the past. That will not be allowed again.”
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Boone called the referees’ decisions “embarrassing.” Based on previous conversations with MLB, Boone asked Caballero to “make sure you’re watching at nine so you’re alert at eight.”
Manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees argues with home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott after the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on July 22, 2026, in New York. (Getty Images)
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“He actually said they were making new rules today and it was my fault because I fooled the pitcher or something, which doesn’t make sense,” Caballero said. “I don’t know, maybe my English is so bad I don’t understand, but cheating means you’re trying to fool someone and I’m not trying to fool someone because I do the same thing over and over again. You can check my last 50 at-bats and see if I’m doing the same thing or not, or check maybe 100 at-bats or 150.”
