Although there is a general rule on how long does a baseball game last, this somehow depends on how well or bad the pitching team is performing. America’s major league baseball games have an average duration of 3 hours.
You’ll see exceptions in different levels of baseball games, however. The number of innings in MLB, minor league, and high school baseball games are not the same.
During my early days in the minor league, one match lasted around 5 hours. It was quite a day for the whole team. So, before jumping into the baseball game career, you should learn the basics and stamina required to be a good performer on the field.
In this article, you’ll learn all the information regarding how long baseball games last and the innings count in average baseball games depending on the different stages.
How Long Does a Typical Baseball Match Take?
Unlike other hardcore ground sports (soccer, hockey, basketball), baseball game doesn’t have a time limit. Instead, each match consists of innings (in general, 9). Some states and leagues, though, have different innings limits.
There are two parts to each innings. The first half slot is allocated for one team, and the second half is for another one. Each team will get the chance to bat during their slot. These slots are also called Top and Bottom innings.
Despite the regulated number of innings, baseball games can take less or more time to end. And as mentioned in the beginning, it highly depends on the pitching team.
The faster they can get 3 outs, the less time it takes to end the opponent’s innings, as well as the match time.
Things to be mentioned is that the away team takes the batting order first. After getting the required outs, the opponent or home team will follow the order.
Another event that determines how long a baseball match takes is the home team’s score at eight and a half innings. If the team is ahead on the score, they will be announced as the winner after the other team’s innings.
So, what happens if it’s a tie between baseball teams? In that case, the match continues with new innings. That means no matter what, the match will continue until no winner is decided.
Whatever it’s, don’t forget to cheer the teams with baseball chants.
Typical Duration for Baseball Games
Baseball, unlike many other popular sports, such as football and basketball, does not have a dedicated time restriction or clock. Baseball games are never drawn for this reason.
The typical length of a baseball game has become steadily longer throughout the years. For instance, the average length of a baseball game climbed from 1 hour and 30 minutes at the turn of the 20th century (the 1900s) to 2 hours and 30 minutes by the late 1960s and again to 2 hours and 58 minutes at the turn of the 21st century.
It was already a foregone conclusion by 2004 that a typical baseball game would be longer than three hours; fast forward to the present day, and the average game now lasts 3 hours and 30 minutes. However, baseball’s governing bodies, including Major League Baseball, have recently enacted a set of new rules with the intention of shortening the length of games.
During the 2018 MLB season, games typically lasted for three hours and four minutes. Compared to the average 2017 game length of 3 hours and 6 minutes, this is actually a reduced time spent in-game. Yet, there has been a lot of games that have lasted longer than this typical playing period, with some games lasting as long as five or six hours.
College baseball games are typically shorter than those played in the major leagues. According to NCAA regulations, a game can’t exceed three hours in length or nine innings. Nonetheless, games often run over schedule owing to unforeseeable factors such as rain or extra innings.
Depending on the league’s regulations, the length of a baseball game played by amateurs or members of a community league may range from three to five hours. Depending on the age or ability level of the participants, some leagues may play shorter games, such as 7 innings, while others may play longer games.
There are many variables that affect the length of a baseball game, making it difficult to give a universal average. Nonetheless, the typical length of a baseball game is about three hours.
| Skill Level | Total Innings | Average Duration |
| Major League Baseball Games or MLB | 9 innings | 3 hours |
| Minor League Baseball Game | 9 innings | 2.39 to 3.11 hours |
| College League Baseball | 7-9 innings | 2.59 to 3.30 hours |
| High School Baseball Games | 7 innings | 1.5 to 2 hours |
| Junior Varsity Baseball Games | 7 innings | 2 hours |
| Youth League Baseball Games | 5, 6, 7 innings | 1.5 hours |
How Long Do Major League Baseball Games Last?
Let’s start with the professional level first. If talking about major league baseball games, this may last north of 3 hours. Before 2015, the average duration was less than that.
The number of innings is supposed to be 9, though this is not always the scene. There are different protocols that teams have to agree on if external factors become obstacles to continuing the match.
For example, the organizer may decide to minimize the innings at any time because of extreme weather or rain.
Factors that Prolong a Baseball Game
A few possible causes of baseball games running too long are:
Pitching Changes: The number of pitches thrown by the pitcher is a major factor in determining the length of a baseball game. When a pitcher’s effectiveness or stamina declines, the manager may decide to make a change, which can take time if the team takes its sweet time getting ready to do so.
Hitters taking additional time: batters take their time before swinging since the pitcher sets the tempo of a baseball game, and hitters wait for the right moment to strike.
Commercial Breaks: There are often three- to five-minute commercial breaks in baseball, typically between innings or during a change in pitchers. If the game goes on for more than three hours, the commercial breaks can be extended. That is also a reason why both MLB and baseball players make lots of money.
Umpire Reviews: In recent years, umpires have increasingly relied on instant replay to help them make calls in baseball games. Now that instant replays are available, any decision about a ball, strike, home run, or stolen base can be challenged. It’s a tedious procedure that can add several minutes to the total playing time.
Strategical Breaks: managers in baseball can use strategy by calling for bunts, stealing bases, and making defensive substitutions to give their teams an edge. As teams try to outsmart one another, these might alter the tempo and strategy of the game.
Extra innings: inning tiebreakers, the 10th inning, and beyond are commonplace in baseball games that stretch on due to extra innings. This can extend the game by an extra couple of hours.
Baseball games can be extended by a number of circumstances may be for some players fighting on the feld; but, these same factors are what set the sport apart.
How Management is trying to speed up the Baseball Game
Historically, baseball’s reputation for a slow pace and extended games has caused a decline in its popularity among younger spectators. Many initiatives have been implemented by MLB and other leagues to increase the pace of play and thrill spectators. In an effort to get the game going a little bit quicker, baseball has implemented some of the following rules changes:
Pitch Clock: To shorten the time in between pitches in the minor leagues, MLB has implemented a 20-second pitch clock. The new regulation is meant to spur faster pitching and keep games moving.
Limiting mound visits: Mound visits have been capped at six per game since 2018 because to a new rule enforced by MLB. The goal of this rule is to shorten the amount of time the pitcher spends on the mound and so speed up the game.
Reducing commercial breaks: The length of baseball games can be lengthened by the lengthy commercial breaks that occur between innings. The time spent on commercials has been cut in half, from 2 minutes and five seconds every inning to just 1 minute and forty-five seconds.
Replay review time limits: Baseball has instituted time limitations for replay reviews in an effort to cut down on game delays caused by prolonged reviews. The procedure has been streamlined by training infield umpires to quickly assess video evidence.
Rules against excessive non-action: A strike may be called by the umpire if, for example, a batter walks away from the plate without good cause or if a pitcher waits too long before throwing a pitch. The rules will be enforced more strictly if the batter or the pitcher makes any kind of motion.
Automated strike zones: umpires will only step in to settle scoring plays or out calls, thanks to high-tech cameras that follow the ball and have true strike zone measurements.
The overall intent of these alterations is to increase game speed without significantly modifying baseball’s traditional regulations. These modifications to the rules are meant to make the game more dynamic for spectators and participants alike.
The Longest Major League Game in the History
On May 1, 1920, at Braves Field in Boston, Massachusetts, a game was played that lasted for a record-setting 26 innings, setting a new mark for the longest game in baseball history. The Brooklyn Robins (now known as the Dodgers) and the Boston Braves played to a 1-1 stalemate before darkness called a halt to the game.
At 2:00 p.m., Brooklyn’s Leon Cadore and Boston’s Joe Oeschger on the mound to open a game in which they would each go on to pitch all 26 innings and turn in remarkable performances. Both pitchers maintained complete command and control of their throws despite throwing for nearly nine hours straight.
In a low-scoring game, Ernie Kruger scored for Brooklyn on a hit by Ivy Olson in the fifth inning. Tony Boeckel scored for Boston in the bottom of the fifth after he reached on an infield hit by Oeschger.
Both teams had numerous scoring chances squandered, and tiredness became evident in the later innings. By the 21st inning, both the players and the audience were getting tired and antsy. The speaker then said that the game would go on until a winner was determined or nightfall occurred, whichever came first.
Both teams were relieved when the umpire called a stalemate in the game after 26 innings owing to darkness. Each team had 50 players, and the game lasted 8 hours and 22 minutes. Both the players and the spectators had reached their limits, and thus the game was called off.
The longest game ever played in a professional baseball game, this contest is still talked about as one of baseball’s greatest moments. The game went on for so long that the grounds crew had to repaint the pitch lines before play could resume.
The game showed that mental toughness, stamina, and the ability to ride out tough situations are all essential and that sometimes a draw is the best possible result.
How Long Does a Minor League Baseball Game Last?
According to research by The Athletic, in 2021, the average baseball game duration was 2.59 hours. The timeline excludes the pitch clock. This research is based on 132 baseball games held in minor leagues.
“In baseball, Pitch clock is the duration a bowler takes before throwing a pitching ball to the hitters or batters.”
There was also a separate statistic on 335 matches where the average match lasted around 3.11 hours in the same year.
However, the recent stats for 2022 seems to be interesting. The 9-innings baseball game took around 2.39 hours the following year. Like the major league, the minor league also consists of 9 innings.
This unexpected 20-minute reduction in average match time has been possible due to the introduction of the pitch clock. Two timers regulate the pitch clock rule in the minor league-
- 18-second clock for the runner on the base
- 14-second timer when no player is on the base
Another common thing in minor leagues is the pitch session by the baseball managers, which may add a few more minutes to the match duration.
How Long Does a College Baseball Game Last?
Unlike other leagues, duration in college-level baseball matches takes more time, at least the history says so.
In 2018, it was 3.30 hours average duration per match, according to the survey of the CWS (College World Series.) There was even a match that took 4.24 hours on 16th June, held in the same year.
Another survey by NCCA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) in 2018 states that per 9-inning match session was around 2.59 hours, similar to minor league baseball.
The fun fact is collegiate baseball leagues can have both 7 to 9 innings per match, depending on the organizers.
How Long High School Baseball Games Last?
It’s good news if you’re planning to watch a high school baseball game. Because matches at the high school level tend to take less time than pro leagues.
Between 1.5 to 2 hours, most high school baseball games tend to reach the final score. Considering the stamina level of the players’ age, most schools keep 7 innings per match.
However, high school baseball game duration can be unpredictable because of players’ skill levels. Last season, one of my team’s matches took more than 3 hours. The score was getting out of hand, which resulted in a long inning.
There are more thoughts to remember when visiting a high school baseball game. You should pack at least 20 minutes extra if it’s a doubleheader match.
“Doubleheaders are different styles in baseball that consist of 2 sets of full games. Both games take place on the same day.”
Bonus Info: How Long Junior Varsity Baseball Games Last?
This segment isn’t quite as popular as other leagues. Yet, junior tournaments are organized in some regions. The match in the junior league takes the same time frame as high school baseball games.
All matches have 7 innings at max. The average duration of this baseball game may take up to 2 hours.
In terms of a doubleheader, there can be a 15 to 20 minutes break time in the middle of both matches.
Bonus Info: How Long Does a Youth Baseball Game Last?
Youth leagues somehow fall under the minor league category. But I’m mentioning this separately as the match duration in some youth baseball leagues shows a dramatic difference from the regular minor leagues.
If you’re an occasional visitor to the baseball ground to watch your kid’s gameplay, a youth baseball league is something that you’ll love to participate in. The fair reason is this sometimes takes less than an hour. However, the average time per match goes up to 1.5 hours.
When it comes to innings numbers in little league games, there are 6 in common. I’ve also seen 7 innings in a few advanced leagues. In some regions, the total number of innings is as low as 5 per match.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can a baseball game last 5 hours?
Indeed, they can, though the average match session is around 3 hours in America. But if there is a tie after the 9 innings, the teams have to continue the match until the winner is determined.
There is no preset timeline for baseball games. The winner is the team that scores an undefeatable number within 8.5 innings.
- How long was the longest baseball game in history?
MLB game history is full of team records. In terms of duration, the longest game in baseball history happened on 8th May 1984. The length of the game was 8.06 hours. It was between the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox.
After 17 innings, it was a tie. And to find the winner, the match took a total of 25 innings. The winner was White Sox with 7, and the Brewers scored 6.
- What is the shortest baseball game?
It’s been a century since the world witnessed the shortest baseball game in history. It was held between Winston-Salem Twins and Asheville Tourists. The roundup time was 31 minutes.
Before that, the fastest match was Mobile Seagulls vs. Atlanta Crackers in 1910. It took 32 minutes.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, how long does a baseball game last depends on multiple factors. Firstly, how fast the bottom or pitching team can get three outs. Secondly, if there is a weather issue that’s inadequate to continue the match, the organizer may decide to rearrange the match or proceed after the weather is game-friendly.
And finally, if there is a tie between both teams, it may result in multiple extra innings to finish the game. It’s not about how many innings the baseball league has. It entirely depends on finding the winner.
Things Your Must Know About Baseball:
How Many Baseball Players Have 700 Home Runs – 4 Greatest Among Greats!
What’s Baseball Chants? Why Should You Do It?
Baseball Riddles and Jokes You Should Tell Friends!
Hello everyone. My name is Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player. I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego.
I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit.