The average duration of a nine-inning Major League Baseball game reached two hours and 42 minutes this season, an increase of three minutes and 43 seconds. League officials identified the implementation of the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) as a factor in this shift, attributing 61 seconds of the additional time to the review process.
Impact of the Automated Ball-Strike System on Game Pace
The ABS system allows batters, catchers, and pitchers to challenge an umpire’s call regarding balls and strikes, resulting in a review via computer. According to data provided by the league, these challenges accounted for 61 seconds of the average game time increase.
Historical Context of MLB Game Length Trends
The average of 2:42 follows a period of significant fluctuations in game duration. In 2022, the average game lasted 3:04. Following the introduction of the pitch clock, the average duration dropped to 2:40 the following season. The average game time was 2:36 in 2024, the shortest since 1984, when games averaged 2:35. Last season, it had increased to 2:38.
Distribution of Game Durations
While the average has shifted, the frequency of lengthy contests has also changed. This season, ten nine-inning games lasted at least three hours and 30 minutes, an increase of three such games compared to last year. This remains a significant reduction from 2021, when 391 games reached or exceeded that length. The longest nine-inning game this season was a 9-7 victory for the New York Yankees over the Miami Marlins, which lasted three hours and 49 minutes.
Conversely, some contests concluded well under the average time. Seven nine-inning games lasted less than two hours. The shortest of these was a 1-0 victory by the Philadelphia Phillies over the Atlanta Braves, which was completed in one hour and 51 minutes.
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