How many innings are there in MLB baseball games? Tiebreaker rule and ghost runner (2024)
MLB first used the extra-innings tiebreaker rule during the 60-game pandemic season in 2020 to shorten games and reduce injury risk after the unusual spring training shutdown and midsummer build-up period for pitchers. The rule remained temporary in 2021 and 2022 and has now been made permanent.
There are nine innings split into two halve in a regulation baseball game—a top of an inning where the visiting team hits first. After three outs, it then changes to the bottom of the inning, where the home team comes up, and again, they have three releases to score as many runs as possible. Once that three-out is complete, it starts the next inning and repeats until the 9th.
Now in the 9th, it can be a little trickier. If, in the top half of the 9th, the home team wins by a single run, and the visiting team has its three last outs to score. If they do not cut and the home teams get the three puts, the game is over, and it ends in 9 and 1/2 inning played. Because the home team had the lead, they no longer needed to bat because they had won.
If the home team would have to come up to bat and try to score and they fail, then the game can go into what’s called “Extra Innings” and starts at the top of the 10th, in which case the game can go on as long as it takes until a team wins the game.
Historically, 10 percent of regular season games go to extra innings. Last season 223 of 2,430 regular season games went to extra innings or 9.2 percent. With the extra-innings tiebreaker rule, only seven games have gone as long as 13 innings in the last three seasons. There were 37 13-inning games in 2019 alone, the previous year with “normal” extra-inning rules.
Ghost runner
The “Ghost Runner” or “Manfred Man” rule is a rule that places a runner at second base at the start of every extra inning in the regular season. The rule was enforced initially amid the 2020 season to reduce injury risk and tatter on pitchers in a limited player pool. It limits the circ*mstances of long-run extra-innings games, and Postseason games will continue to feature “regular” play in extra innings.
The official rule says: the runner placed on second base at the start of each half-inning in extras will be the player in the batting order immediately preceding that half-inning leadoff hitter or a pinch-runner. So, if the No. 7 hitter in the order is due to lead off, the No. 6 hitter (or a pinch-runner for the No. 6 hitter) would be placed on second base.
If the automatic (ghost) runner comes around to score, an earned run will not be charged to the pitcher.
A regulation game is completed after nine full innings. The home team always bats second in an inning, so if the home team is leading after the visiting team bats in the ninth the game officially ends after 8 1/2 innings since there would be no need for the home team to bat in the ninth.
But what is the “ghost runner” in baseball? Sneaked in during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The rule, for those who don't know, places a base runner on second base to start each inning beyond the ninth inning during the regular season.
The game is divided into nine innings, each divided into two halves. In the top half of the inning, the players of one team successively come to bat and attempt to score runs, while the other team plays in the field and attempts to stop the offensive team from scoring. In the bottom half, the teams swap places.
While nine innings is the standard length for a baseball game, there are instances where games can go longer. Tied games, for example, can go into extra innings until one team scores and wins the game. In professional and college baseball, this means playing additional innings until there is a clear winner.
Definition. A pitcher receives a win when he is the pitcher of record when his team takes the lead for good -- with a couple rare exceptions. First, a starting pitcher must pitch at least five innings (in a traditional game of nine innings or longer) to qualify for the win.
The automatic runner placed at second base in extra innings does not count as an earned run for the pitcher. The runner gets credit for a run scored but not a time on base, and thus does not receive a boost to his on-base percentage. The batter who drives in the automatic runner is credited with an RBI.
That study, according to Baseball America, showed that 73 percent of extra-inning games were decided with just one added inning with ghost runners. Before that, only 45 percent of extra-inning games ended after just one added inning. Those numbers have held true at the major league level.
A tie is a baseball game that ends with both teams having scored the same number of runs. In normal play, ties should not occur in baseball, as the rules state that extra innings are played until one of the two teams wins the game. So, ties can only be the result of special circ*mstances.
The Pawtucket Red Sox played the Rochester Red Wings on April 18, 1981, in a 33-inning game that spanned two days. Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.
The longest game since the extra-runner rule was implemented was between the Dodgers and Padres on August 25, 2022, which lasted 16 innings and 349 minutes. Along with the extra-runner rule, MLB also announced a new rule for position players pitching.
According to MLB the rule states that “pitchers must face a minimum of three batters in an appearance or pitch to the end of a half-inning, with exceptions for injuries and illnesses.
If not terminated early, regulation games last until the trailing team has had the chance to make 27 outs (nine innings). If the home team is leading after the visiting team has made three outs in the top of the ninth inning, the home team wins and does not have to come to bat in the bottom of the ninth.
A tie is a baseball game that ends with both teams having scored the same number of runs. In normal play, ties should not occur in baseball, as the rules state that extra innings are played until one of the two teams wins the game. So, ties can only be the result of special circ*mstances.
Over the last ten years, the average MLB game has run for 8.9 innings. A few games are called for weather before nine innings, and about 20% of games are stopped after 8.5 innings because the home team is ahead. Just under 10% of few games went into extra innings. There's no set limit to the number of extra innings.
If a game has reached the middle of the 5th inning, the umpire can call the game complete. Rain can cause players to lose their grips on bats and balls reduced due to the moisture. The dirt (often clay) of the baseline becomes slick and sticky when wet.
Introduction: My name is Greg Kuvalis, I am a witty, spotless, beautiful, charming, delightful, thankful, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
