MLB average game time up nearly 4 minutes to 2:42, partly because of robot umpires

Major League Baseball (MLB) games have become longer, averaging 2 hours and 42 minutes per nine-inning game this season. This uptick in game time is largely due to the introduction of robot umpires. The Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System, which allows players to appeal umpire decisions to a computer, added 61 seconds to the average game duration.

Prior to the implementation of this system, MLB's average game time was 2:40 in 2022, the lowest since 1984. The implementation of the pitch clock in 2023 further reduced game times to 2:36, but the system saw a resurgence in length in 2024, reaching 2:42 minutes.