Umpire Issues Delay-of-Game Warning to Yankees' José Caballero Over Batter's Box Tempo

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone held a lengthy conversation with Major League Baseball officials about shortstop José Caballero's deliberate tempo in the batter's box. The discussion followed a delay-of-game warning issued to Caballero during the sixth inning of Sunday's 8-3 win against the Toronto Blue Jays.

During an at-bat against reliever Spencer Miles, Caballero was slow to raise his head on two occasions until eight seconds remained on the pitch clock.

Eight seconds marks the cutoff time for engagement, after which pitchers cannot come set until acknowledged by the hitter. Plate umpire Steven Jaschinski issued the warning after the second instance and told Caballero a strike would be called if the action occurred again.

Play was delayed for more than two minutes while Caballero, Jaschinski, Boone and crew chief John Tumpane discussed the matter.

"So I feel like we have a good handle on it and certainly understand what he's trying to do and he has a rhythm and a process to help him get locked and we think it's within the rules," Boone said Tuesday before the Yankees opened a three-game series with the White Sox. "I talked to them and tried to get very specific. " Caballero said Tuesday that Jaschinski told him he was delaying the game.

"That's what he said and then whenever he talked to everyone on his speaker, he said that I was delaying the game which if I delayed the game that's a strike because I'm going over the time that I have," Caballero said. " Caballero started in right field on Tuesday and said before his first at-bat he planned to seek clarification from plate umpire Mike Muchlinski.

"I might have to ask the umpire right before the game starts to see what is the new ruling today," he said.