How Long Do Baseball Games Really Take?

Games in the major leagues average around three hours, but there can be a lot of variation.
How long do baseball games really take?

Introduction

It seems like baseball games take forever, especially if your team is losing. But how long do they really take?

The answer may surprise you. According to MLB (Major League Baseball), the average game time for the 2017 season was 3 hours and 5 minutes. That’s about 15 minutes longer than the average game time in 2005, and about 30 minutes longer than the average game time in 1975.

Of course, there are some outliers. The longest 9-inning game in MLB history was played on May 8, 1984, between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago White Sox. That game lasted 8 hours and 6 minutes!

On the other end of the spectrum, the shortest 9-inning game in MLB history was played on September 28, 1919, between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies. That game only lasted 51 minutes!

The Length of a Baseball Game

Baseball games are typically nine innings long, but they can sometimes be longer or shorter depending on the circumstances. The duration of a baseball game can be affected by how many runs are scored, how many hits there are, how many errors are made, and how many walks occur. Let’s take a more detailed look at each of these factors.

The Average Length of a Baseball Game

The average length of a baseball game has gradually increased over the years. In 2017, the average game time was 3 hours and 2 minutes, up from 2 hours and 33 minutes in 1981. The longest game in MLB history, between the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers, lasted 8 hours and 6 minutes and was played over 25 innings.

The average length of a baseball game has been on the rise for several years now. In 2017, the average time for a 9-inning game was 3 hours and 2 minutes, up from 3 hours flat in 2016. For the 2016 season as a whole, games averaged 2:56 – the longest average duration since 2009. 2005 saw the shortest average games at 2:46.

There are a variety of reasons cited for the gradual lengthening of baseball games. One is that pitchers are now taking more time between pitches, due to increased focus on analytics (such as pitch counts). Another is that batters are more likely to work deep into counts, as they look for ideal hitting conditions. Additionally, teams are more willing to use relief pitchers (and thus make more pitching changes) than they were in the past.

Whatever the reasons may be, it doesn’t look like baseball games are going to get shorter any time soon. So if you’re planning on catching a game this season, be sure to allot plenty of time – it might take longer than you think!

The Length of a Baseball Game by Inning

The average length of a baseball game has been slowly creeping upward in recent years. In 2017, the average MLB game lasted 3 hours and 8 minutes, up from 2 hours and 33 minutes in 1981. That’s an increase of about 45 minutes, or about 15%.

Much of that time increase can be attributed to the increasing number of relief pitchers used in each game. In 1981, teams used an average of 2.59 pitchers per game. In 2017, that number had risen to 3.82. That’s an increase of nearly 50%.

teams are also taking longer between innings. In 1981, the average break between innings was 1 minute and 54 seconds. In 2017, it was 2 minutes and 33 seconds. That’s an increase of nearly 40%.

commercial breaks have also gotten longer over the years. In 1981, the average commercial break was 1 minute and 30 seconds. In 2017, it was 2 minutes and 15 seconds. That’s an increase of nearly 45%.

All these factors add up to a lot more dead time during a typical MLB game. And that means shorter attention spans for fans both at the ballpark and watching at home.

The Length of a Baseball Game by Position

The length of a baseball game can vary depending on the number of innings played and the position of the players.

Pitchers typically play for seven innings, while position players play for nine innings. If a game goes into extra innings, each team gets one more inning to try to score.

The longest recorded baseball game took place in 1892 and went 26 innings. The game lasted more than six hours, and the final score was 1-1.

The Factors That Affect the Length of a Baseball Game

There are a lot of factors that can affect the length of a baseball game. The number of innings, the number of pitching changes, the number of batters, and the number of base runners all play a role in how long a game will last. In addition, the weather can also have an impact on the length of a game. Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors.

The Number of Pitches

One of the biggest factors that affect the length of a baseball game is the number of pitches thrown. In general, the more pitches thrown, the longer the game will last. This is because each pitch takes a certain amount of time, and when there are more pitches, there is more time required for all of them to be thrown.

Other factors can also affect the length of a baseball game, such as how many batters there are and how often they hit the ball out of play. However, the number of pitches is generally the biggest factor in determining how long a game will last.

The Number of Hitters

It’s not always easy to predict how long a baseball game will last. A number of factors can influence the length of play, including the number of hitters, the number of pitchers, the pace of play, and the weather.

One important factor is the number of hitters in each team’s lineup. The more batters a team has to get through before their turn in the field comes up again, the longer the game will take. Similarly, if a team has a lot of power hitters who are likely to hit home runs, the game will also tend to be longer, as there will be more time spent running around the bases.

Another factor that can affect the length of a baseball game is the number of pitchers each team uses. A game with only two or three pitchers on each side is likely to be shorter than one with six or seven pitchers. This is because each time a new pitcher comes in, there is a chance for a delay as he warms up and gets into his groove. Also, relief pitchers often take longer to complete an inning than starters, as they tend to throw fewer pitches and walk more batters.

The Number of Base runners

The number of base runners has the most direct impact on game time, as each pitch takes slightly longer when there are runners on base. In addition, the concentration of base runners on particular bases can have an indirect impact on game time. For example, if there are runners on first and third base with no one on second, the play will likely take longer than if there were a runner on first and second with no one on third. This is because the catcher must be more mindful of the possibility of a stolen base attempt when there are no other runners occupying bases behind the runner(s) at risk.

Conclusion

In conclusion, baseball games do not really take that long. The average game time is around three hours, but this can vary depending on a number of factors. Extra innings, delays, and close games will all add to the total time. However, baseball is a relatively fast-paced sport, and there are many breaks between innings, so the actual amount of time spent playing is not as long as you might think.