The 2023 MLB season has been far different than years past.
One of the reasons was some significant rule changes this year.
MLB introduced a pitch clock starting this year to help speed up the game.
They did it to give the fans the best possible viewing experience without so much wasted time between pitches.
Also, a rule is in place to limit the number of pickoff attempts during each plate appearance.
Altogether, the game times during the regular season were shorter than in years past.
The same thing has happened during the postseason.
According to Codify, the average length of a postseason game this year is at least 24 minutes shorter than last year.
Average length of 9-inning MLB postseason games:
2016 -> 3 hours, 25 minutes
2017 -> 3 hours, 29 minutes
2018 -> 3 hours, 35 minutes
2019 -> 3 hours, 34 minutes
2020 -> 3 hours, 32 minutes
2021 -> 3 hours, 37 minutes
2022 -> 3 hours, 23 minutes
2023 -> 2 hours, 59 minutes— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) October 18, 2023
While 24 minutes may not seem like a ton, every minute counts, and many fans have been thrilled with the pitch clock.
Speeding up the game has been great for the fans, but it also benefits the players.
In a grueling 162-game season, the faster each game can finish the better it will be.
Especially with all the travel the teams need during the season.
When the games end earlier, you can get to the next city faster and prepare for the next series.
No one wants to be playing 4+ hour games and MLB has done a great job cutting the time down.
Many players were against the pitch clock at the beginning of the season.
But, it seems like everyone has gotten used to it at this point.
This is a rule that is here to stay in MLB and fans and players alike should be grateful for that.
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