When Does the Baseball Game End?

The game of baseball is a long one–9 innings to be exact. So when does the game end? We break it down for you inning by inning.

Introduction

Many people assume that the baseball game will end when the teams have completed nine innings. However, this is not always the case. If the game is tied after nine innings, it will go into extra innings. Extra innings are additional innings that are played until one team has more runs than the other team at the end of an inning.

The Length of a Baseball Game

Baseball games can vary in length, with the average game lasting around 3 hours. However, there is no set time limit for how long a baseball game can last. The length of a baseball game depends on a number of factors, such as the number of innings played and the number of breaks between innings. Let’s take a look at how the length of a baseball game can vary.

The Average Length of a Baseball Game

The average length of a baseball game has been slowly creeping upward in recent years, reaching a record 3:05:11 in 2017. But that doesn’t mean every game is going to be a marathon. In fact, the average game time has varied quite a bit over the years, from 2:33 in 1908 to 2:55 in 1968.

So what’s behind the changing times? According to baseball statistician Craig Wright, there are several factors at play, including more relief pitchers being used and more hitters working counts deeper into the count.

The Shortest Baseball Game on Record

The shortest baseball game on record lasted only 51 minutes and was played on September 28, 1919, between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies. The game was called after eight innings due to darkness.

The Longest Baseball Game on Record

The longest baseball game on record happened on May 8, 1984 and lasted for 33 innings. It was a minor league game between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings, and it ended in a 3-2 win for Pawtucket. The game started at 8:25pm and didn’t end until 4:09am the next day, lasting a total of 7 hours and 44 minutes.

The Factors That Affect the Length of a Baseball Game

The length of a baseball game can be affected by a number of factors, including the number of innings, the number of pitchers, and the number of hits. Weather can also play a role in the length of a game, as can the number of fans in attendance.

The Number of Innings

The game of baseball is played until one team scores more runs than the other team after a certain number of innings. In order to speed up the game, Major League Baseball has implemented a number of rule changes over the years that have affected the length of the game.

One of the most significant rule changes was the introduction of the designated hitter in 1973. Prior to this, pitchers were required to hit in games played in American League stadiums. The designated hitter rule allows for a batters-only player to be substituted in for the pitcher, which typically results in more offense and therefore, longer games.

Another important factor that affects the length of baseball games is weather conditions. Rain delays can add hours or even days to the length of a game, as was the case with Game 7 of the 2018 World Series which was delayed for nearly two days due to inclement weather in Boston.

Finally, how well each team is playing can also affect game length. If one team is clearly dominating and winning by a large margin, they may choose to end the game early by invoking the mercy rule. Conversely, if a game is very close and goes into extra innings, it can last much longer than originally anticipated.

The Number of Pitches

One of the main factors that affect the length of a baseball game is the number of pitches. On average, each pitch takes about 12 seconds, so if there are 200 pitches in a game, that’s 24 minutes. But of course, not every pitch is thrown in the same amount of time. A pitcher who throws a lot of fastballs will usually have a shorter inning than a pitcher who throws a lot of off-speed pitches. And a pitcher who gets ahead in the count (0-1, 0-2, 1-2) will usually have a shorter inning than a pitcher who falls behind in the count (3-0, 3-1, 2-0).

Another factor that affects the length of baseball games is how often batters get on base. If the batting team has lots of hits and walks, they’ll probably score more runs and the game will be longer. But if the pitching team strikes out a lot of batters, they’ll probably get more outs and the game will be shorter.

The Number of Hitters

The average major league game has about 27 batters taking their turn at the plate per team. With the exception of a home run, each time a batter records a hit, he becomes a baserunner and must advance to first base. The more hits in a game, the more baserunners, and the longer the game takes.

Conclusion

Based on the information gathered, it can be concluded that the baseball game will most likely end around 9:15 pm.