mlb

Report: MLB games are shortest in 42 years

MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL / USA TODAY NETWORK

Major League Baseball’s efforts to speed up the game are working.

So far in 2023, games have been an average of 28 minutes shorter than last season, according to time-of-game data from league statistics providers.

MLB instituted a pitch timer this season. Pitchers have 15 seconds to throw a pitch with no runners on base and 20 seconds with men aboard, otherwise an automatic ball is called. Hitters are allowed one timeout per at-bat and must be in the batter’s box with at least eight seconds left on the clock, otherwise an automatic strike is called.

According to the data, games are averaging 2 hours and 37 minutes this season, down from 3 hours and 5 minutes in 2022.

The last time games were this short was the 1981 season.

–Field Level Media

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