Last night I attended my first 2023 baseball game at Fenway Park. The most noticeable change was the presence of the looming pitch clock behind the batter. First pitch was thrown at 6:10 p.m. and we were out of the game before 9:10 p.m. As a spectator baseball no longer felt quite as drawn out as it used to, I was engaged nearly the entire time.

Why It Matters

The introduction of the pitch clock was controversial. I enjoyed going to baseball games but found myself with lots of opportunities to check my phone or chat with friends between plays. Before this change, baseball was less of an outing than a spectacle. Now a game is much more fun to watch, your ticket is worth it.

The Force Was Strong with Yoshida

I started the game not knowing who Masataka Yoshida was. I quickly became familiar when he launched a solo home run at the bottom of the first. This kicked off a scoring rally that lead to the Red Sox unleashing an 11-5 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays. I have been to a bunch of games, and this was a fun one to watch.

A Celebration of Star Wars

Boston is a city of nerds and it was on full display at the Star Wars theme they deployed for the game. Many fans dressed in Star Wars costume. R2-D2 and C-3PO made an appearance. Wally was dressed as Princess Leia. The game kicked off with the iconic John Williams theme. And they had a commander from the Space Force throw out the first pitch.