The implementation of a strict pitch clock at the minor league level has shaved 20 minutes off game times, ESPN reported Tuesday.
Major League Baseball is set to adopt the pitch clock in 2023.
Pitchers get 14 seconds with the bases empty and an 18-second clock with runners on base.
Through the first 132 games with the clock, minor league games are averaging 2 hours, 39 minutes. In 335 games without the clock, games are averaging 2 hours, 59 minutes.
Scoring is basically unchanged between the clock vs. non-clock games. Clock games are averaging 5.11 runs vs. 5.13 runs per game in the non-clock set.
Penalties for violating the clock include automatic strikes assessed to hitters and automatic balls assessed to pitchers.
Game times dropped by 21 minutes in Low-A in 2021 with a pitch clock.
MLB officials have been trying to find ways to speed up the pace of play. Games in the major leagues averaged a record 3 hours, 10 minutes and 7 seconds in 2021. That’s nearly five minutes longer than in 2019 and 20 minutes longer than a decade ago.
–Field Level Media