Baseball has seen games stretch far beyond the usual nine innings. These contests test focus, stamina, and strategy.
Fans often wonder how long a game can really last when neither team gives in. The answer comes from moments when time, light, and endurance all collide.
The longest MLB game by innings lasted 26 innings, played on May 1, 1920, between the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Robins. It ended in a tie due to darkness.
That game still sets the standard for endurance at the major league level. Early baseball relied on grit and pace rather than bullpens and pitch counts.
Other games pushed limits through extra‑inning battles and rule changes. Travel demands and evolving strategies also shaped these marathon contests.
Understanding MLB Game Lengths and Endurance
MLB game length depends on innings played, game pace, and special rules. Long games test baseball endurance for players, officials, and fans.
Extra-inning contests stretch late into the night and increase physical strain.
Standard Game Structure and Extra Innings
A standard MLB game lasts nine innings. Each team bats once per inning.
If the score stays tied after nine, the game moves into extra innings. Teams keep playing full innings until one team leads after a complete frame.
Pitchers throw more pitches in extra innings. Benches thin out, and managers adjust strategy.
Since 2020, MLB has used a runner on second base to start extra innings in the regular season. This rule aims to shorten games, but long contests still occur.
In earlier eras, teams played without these limits. That freedom allowed games to run much longer.
What Qualifies as a Marathon Matchup
A marathon matchup usually reaches 18 innings or more. At that point, fatigue shapes every decision.
Relief pitchers often pitch multiple innings. Sometimes, position players appear on the mound.
The longest MLB game by innings lasted 26 innings in 1920 before darkness stopped play. Another notable contest, the 25-inning Brewers vs. White Sox game in 1984, lasted over eight hours.
These games define true marathon matchups. They push beyond normal limits.
Measuring Game Duration by Innings vs. Time
MLB tracks long games by innings played and total time. Both measures matter, but they tell different stories.
| Measure | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Innings | Competitive length and on-field endurance |
| Time | Pace of play and delays |
Older games often had many innings but shorter times. The 26-inning game in 1920 ended in under four hours.
Modern games last longer due to pitching changes, replays, and breaks. Outside MLB, the 33-inning minor league game in 1981 remains the longest professional contest on record.
The Record Breaker: 26-Inning MLB Game
A single game in 1920 still defines endurance in professional baseball. It set the mark for 26 innings, featured complete games by both starters, and ended without a winner.
Historic 1920 Braves vs. Robins Showdown
On May 1, 1920, the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves played the longest MLB game by innings in league history. The teams stayed tied 1–1 after 26 innings.
Darkness forced officials to stop play. The game took place at Braves Field in Boston.
It lasted 3 hours and 50 minutes, which feels short by modern standards. Fast pace and few pitching changes kept the clock moving.
Each team scored once early. Brooklyn scored in the fifth inning, and Boston answered in the sixth.
No team crossed the plate again. Detailed records of this game appear in MLB’s history of longest games in baseball history.
Pitching Feats of Leon Cadore and Joe Oeschger
The game became legendary because of the pitchers. Leon Cadore for Brooklyn and Joe Oeschger for Boston each threw all 26 innings.
No other MLB game has featured two pitchers completing so many innings. Cadore allowed one run on Boston’s lone scoring inning.
Oeschger matched him by giving up one run to Brooklyn. Neither pitcher left the mound.
Key pitching facts:
- Innings pitched: 26 each
- Runs allowed: 1 each
- Relief pitchers used: none
This pitching duel stands as one of the most extreme examples of stamina in baseball history.
Impact and Legacy of the 26-Inning Game
The 1920 matchup remains a benchmark for endurance. Later games lasted longer by time, but none exceeded 26 innings.
Rule changes, night games, and bullpen use make a repeat unlikely. The game also reflects a different era.
Starters often pitched until exhaustion, and teams carried fewer pitchers. Modern workload limits prevent similar outings.
Baseball historians often cite this contest when discussing pitching duels and early 20th-century play. Baseball-Reference ranks it at the top of its list of the longest games in MLB history by innings.
Legendary Longest MLB Games by Innings
Several longest MLB games stand out because they combined extreme innings, pitching duels, and unusual game conditions. These marathon matchups show how teams managed fatigue and strategy when games pushed far past normal limits.
25-Inning White Sox vs. Brewers Marathon
The May 8–9, 1984 game between the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers remains one of the most demanding contests in MLB history. It lasted 25 innings and 8 hours and 6 minutes, making it the longest MLB game by time.
The game stopped after 17 innings due to league rules, then resumed the next day. Chicago finally won 7–6 on a walk-off home run by Harold Baines.
Multiple pitchers appeared for both teams, and bullpens carried the load.
Key facts from this 25-inning White Sox vs. Brewers game:
- Played across two days
- Featured over a dozen pitchers
- Decided by a home run in the 25th inning
This game set a benchmark for modern marathon matchups.
22 to 20-Inning Epics in MLB History
Several games between 20 and 24 innings highlight how pitching duels shaped endurance records. On April 15, 1968, the Houston Astros beat the New York Mets 1–0 in 24 innings.
The game stayed scoreless until the final inning. Starting pitchers Tom Seaver and Don Wilson dominated early, while relievers carried the rest.
A single fielding error ended the night.
Notable traits of these longest MLB games include:
| Common Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Low scoring | Increased innings |
| Limited relievers | Heavy workloads |
| Defensive mistakes | Game-deciding moments |
These games rewarded control and patience more than power.
Recent Extra-Inning Showcases
Recent rules aim to limit extreme length, but extra-inning showcases still occur. In Game 3 of the 2018 World Series, the Dodgers and Red Sox played 18 innings over 7 hours and 20 minutes.
Managers rotated pitchers carefully and relied on situational hitting. Endurance now shifts toward bullpen depth and bench usage.
Details from the longest postseason MLB game by time:
- 18 innings without a runner-on-second rule
- Multiple relief aces used
- A single home run decided the game
Even with modern limits, pitching duels still define extended games.
The Longest Professional Baseball Game Ever
This record-setting game showed how far players can push their limits. It featured extreme length, known players early in their careers, and records that still stand across professional baseball.
Pawtucket Red Sox vs. Rochester Red Wings: 33 Innings
The longest professional baseball game took place in 1981 between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings. The teams played 33 innings over three calendar days at McCoy Stadium in Rhode Island.
The game began on April 18 and continued through the night. Officials stopped play after 32 innings at 4:07 a.m. due to player exhaustion.
The score remained tied at 2–2. The teams finished the final inning on June 23.
Pawtucket won 3–2 with a walk-off run. Total playing time reached 8 hours and 25 minutes, which remains unmatched in professional baseball.
Game facts
| Detail | Record |
|---|---|
| Innings played | 33 |
| Total time | 8 hours, 25 minutes |
| Teams | Pawtucket Red Sox vs. Rochester Red Wings |
| Final score | Pawtucket 3, Rochester 2 |
More details appear in the history of the longest professional baseball game.
Key Players: Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken
Several players later became major stars. Wade Boggs played third base for Pawtucket and recorded multiple hits during the game.
He helped tie the score in the 21st inning, which extended the contest deep into the night. Cal Ripken played third base for Rochester.
He went hitless in many late innings but stayed on the field through the entire game. His endurance stood out, even early in his career.
Other players set unusual marks. One outfielder went 0-for-13 at the plate.
Catchers and pitchers logged extreme workloads that rarely occur today. This game offered an early look at players who later defined consistency and durability at the major league level.
Endurance Records Beyond MLB
This contest did not occur in Major League Baseball, but its records exceed all MLB games. The longest MLB game by innings reached 26, which falls well short of 33.
The game set several professional records that still stand. These include most innings, most total at-bats, and most total strikeouts in a single game.
Minor league rules at the time allowed play to continue without strict curfews. That difference made this outcome possible.
The Pawtucket and Rochester matchup remains the standard when people discuss endurance records across all levels of professional baseball.
Players and Performances: Endurance Legends
Certain players turned extremely long games into personal tests of focus, strength, and patience. Their individual efforts explain how baseball endurance records became possible.
Remarkable Stamina and Game Streaks
Cal Ripken Jr. showed how consistency and durability shape baseball history. He played in 2,632 straight MLB games, a record that reflects daily physical and mental stamina.
That same endurance appeared during marathon contests, where players stayed alert long past normal limits. In the 1981 33-inning game between Pawtucket and Rochester, Ripken recorded 15 plate appearances.
Fielders also set records for putouts and innings played without rest. These games forced players to manage fatigue, cold weather, and hunger.
Mental focus mattered as much as strength when games stretched into early morning hours.
Pitchers and Hitters Going the Distance
Pitchers often carried the heaviest workload in long games. In 1920, Leon Cadore and Joe Oeschger each pitched all 26 innings of a scoreless tie.
Neither received a win, yet both logged one of the most demanding outings in MLB history. Relief pitchers also played key roles.
Some threw ten or more innings after entering midgame, often with reduced velocity but strong control. Hitters faced similar strain, with some stepping to the plate 13 or more times in one game.
These performances highlight baseball endurance at its limits. Players adjusted pace, relied on fundamentals, and avoided mistakes to survive games that pushed far beyond standard play.
Influences on Game Duration and Rule Changes
Several factors shape how long MLB games last, especially during extra innings. Team strategy, player usage, and league rule changes all play a direct role in whether games end quickly or stretch into the endurance tests seen in the longest MLB games.
Strategic Developments in Extra Innings
Teams approach extra innings with different goals than regulation play. Managers often shift from long-term planning to immediate run prevention and scoring.
Bullpen use plays a major role. In older longest MLB games, starting pitchers often stayed in for 15 or more innings.
For example, in the 26-inning tie in 1920, both starters pitched the entire game, as documented in the longest games in baseball history.
Modern teams rely on relief matchups. This leads to more pitching changes and fewer extreme endurance outings.
Offensive strategy also changes. Teams use more bunts, stolen base attempts, and intentional walks to force a single run.
Common extra-inning tactics include:
- Pinch runners for speed
- Sacrifice bunts to move runners
- Defensive shifts to prevent singles
These choices affect both game length and scoring patterns.
MLB Rule Changes to Curb Game Length
MLB introduced rule changes to reduce marathon games and protect players. The most notable change is the automatic runner on second base to start extra innings.
MLB first used this rule in regular-season games in 2020. It aims to end games faster by increasing scoring chances.
This rule directly targets situations that once led to games lasting 18 or more innings. Other changes also influence duration:
- Pitch clocks to limit dead time
- Limits on mound visits
- Fewer pitching changes per inning
These adjustments reflect lessons learned from historic endurance games like the 25-inning White Sox vs. Brewers game. This game remains the longest by time at over eight hours, as detailed in the MLB record-setting 25-inning game.
Impact on Future Endurance Records
Rule changes make it less likely that future games will match the longest MLB games by innings. The automatic runner rule alone reduces the odds of scoreless extra innings.
Modern player health standards also matter. Teams now protect arms more carefully and avoid extreme workloads.
A single pitcher throwing 20-plus innings now seems unrealistic. Still, long games remain possible.
Weather delays, elite pitching, and postseason intensity can push games deep into extra innings. The 18-inning World Series game in 2018, while shorter than historical marathons, showed how pressure and balance can still create lengthy contests.
