The average length of a Major League Baseball (MLB) game in recent seasons is about 2 hours and 36 to 2 hours and 39 minutes. This marks a significant decrease from previous years, where games often lasted around 3 hours or more. The reduction in game length is largely attributed to the introduction of the pitch clock starting in the 2023 season, which has sped up the pace of play

. Historically, MLB games had surpassed the 3-hour mark regularly, reaching a peak average of about 3 hours and 10 minutes in 2021. Since then, rule changes including the pitch clock and limited mound visits have helped bring the average game time down to the mid-2-hour range, the shortest average since 1984

. In summary:

• Current average MLB game length: approximately 2 hours 36-39 minutes
• Prior to pitch clock: often around 3 hours or more
• Shortest average since 1984 due to pace-of-play rules

This average applies to standard nine-inning games; extra innings and playoff games tend to last longer

. College and youth baseball games are generally shorter, averaging around 2.5 hours and 1.5 to 2 hours respectively