If F1 separates his hands and steps back off the pitcher's plate after coming to set, what is the ruling?

In this scenario, if the pitcher, referred to as F1, separates his hands and steps back off the pitcher's plate after coming to a set position, it constitutes a balk. According to the rules governing pitchers in baseball, once a pitcher has come to the set position, they must remain in that position until delivering the pitch. The act of separating the hands is a violation as it indicates that the pitcher is not maintaining the established position.

By stepping back after this separation, the pitcher further disrupts the required stance and timing of the pitch, which is intended to ensure that there is no deceptive movement that could unfairly advantage the pitcher over the batter. This action is considered a breach of the rules, leading to an automatic penalty for the offensive team. Hence, the correct ruling in this situation is that it is a balk.