Cincinnati Reds fans seemingly succeeded in getting in an opposing pitcher’s head during Sunday’s game between the Reds and San Francisco Giants.
Giants pitcher Robbie Ray found himself in some trouble during the sixth inning of Sunday’s game after cruising through the first five frames. With a man on second and one out, Ray was called for a pitch timer violation while pitching to Reds catcher Austin Wynns.
Ray then gave up a two-run home run to Wynns on the very next pitch, then made it back-to-back home runs allowed by giving one up to second baseman Matt McLain.
At this point, Reds fans took it upon themselves to put more pressure on Ray. When the left-hander fell behind Santiago Espinal 2-0, Cincinnati fans began counting down the pitch clock loudly enough that it was easily picked up on the television broadcast.
#Reds fans started counting down the pitch clock after Robbie Ray got a pitch clock violation. Ray ended up walking Santiago Espinal on four pitches.
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) March 30, 2025
Incredible. pic.twitter.com/tHbxJoEQor
Ray wound up walking Espinal on four pitches. It was not entirely clear if Reds fans had anything to do with that, but it is entirely possible the circumstances sped him up a bit.
Ray was pulled from the game after that batter, and the Giants were able to escape the inning without any further damage.
This kind of thing is pretty common in basketball, especially at the college level. Home fans will typically count down the shot clock inaccurately when visiting teams are running low on time, aiming to rush a player into a bad shot. More recently, some NBA fans have successfully pulled the move on Giannis Antetokounmpo when the Bucks star shoots free throws.
Could this become a thing in Major League Baseball? With the advent of the pitch clock, it is certainly possible, especially if it seems to work on certain pitchers. Ray might want to keep an eye out for this in future road games.
