In the latest World Series, the average length of nine-inning games was recorded at 3 hours and 19 minutes, which represents an increase from 3 hours and 1 minute in the previous season. This year’s average game time marked a significant decrease compared to the 2022 Series where games averaged 3 hours and 24 minutes, and the extended 3 hours and 38 minutes in 2021, the year preceding the introduction of the PitchCom electronic pitch-calling system. Remarkably, the average game time this season is the quickest noted since 1996.

The frequency of mid-inning pitching changes rose notably to an average of 5.2 this year, up from 3.8 in 2023 and just 2.5 in 2022. The number of runs scored per game also saw an increase, jumping to 10.0 from 9.3 last season and markedly higher than the 5.8 recorded in 2022. Additionally, pitchers threw a total of 315 pitches during the Series, surpassing the 298 from the prior year, and marking the highest volume since 2018.

Focusing on the postseason as a whole, the average game duration remained static at 3 hours and 2 minutes, highlighting a significant reduction from 3 hours and 23 minutes in 2022 and 3 hours and 37 minutes in 2021. Meanwhile, the regular season’s game duration averaged 2 hours and 36 minutes, which reflects a four-minute decline from 2023 and an impressive 28-minute drop from 2022. This metric marks the lowest average time since 1984, which recorded 2 hours and 35 minutes.

Looking ahead, Major League Baseball is adjusting the pitch clock for the upcoming 2024 season, reducing the time allowed with runners on base by two seconds to 18 seconds. However, the pitch clock will remain at 15 seconds when there are no runners on base, indicating a continued effort to expedite the pace of play.