The average length of a standard nine-inning Major League Baseball (MLB) game in recent years has decreased significantly due to new pace-of-play rules like the pitch clock. As of 2024 and into 2025, the average MLB game lasts about 2 hours and 35 to 2 hours and 36 minutes, down from over 3 hours in earlier seasons
. Key points about MLB game length:
- A typical MLB game consists of nine innings, each inning having two halves where each team bats until three outs are recorded
- Historically, games averaged around 3 hours or more, but the introduction of the pitch clock in 2023 has cut game times by about 30 minutes compared to 2021-2022 levels
- Factors that can extend game length include extra innings, pitching changes, offensive activity, and replay reviews
- Playoff games tend to be longer, often lasting 3 to 4 hours or more, due to no automatic runner in extra innings, more pitching changes, and longer commercial breaks
- Some games, especially those with extra innings or delays, can last well beyond 4 hours
In summary, a typical MLB game today lasts roughly two and a half hours, but actual game times vary widely depending on game circumstances.
