Pitch clock cut MLB spring training games down by 26 minutes

If spring training was any indication of what's to come, then MLB fans can expect regular season games to be nearly a half hour shorter than they were last year.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported Wednesday that the exhibition contests were cut down by an average of 26 minutes compared to last year, thanks in large part to the new pitch clock.

"Games lasted 2:35 this spring compared to 3:01 in 2022 as pitchers were given 15 seconds between pitches to throw the ball when the bases were unoccupied and 20 seconds when runners were on base," Rogers wrote. "MLB regular-season games averaged 3:03 last season."

The pitch clock's arrival to MLB has been in the works for a number of seasons, as it's been in play at various minor league levels for a handful of years. Statistics from the minors have shown that the timer quickening up the game this spring wasn't an aberration.

Additionally, according to Rogers' report, spring training games this year were 35 minutes shorter than World Baseball Classic (WBC) games, which didn't use the pitch clock.

Per Rogers, hitter and pitcher clock violations decreased nearly every week during spring training, with 2.03 violations per contest in Week 1, 1.49 in Week 2, 1.13 in Week 3 and 1.03 in Week 5. The numbers went up slightly in the last two weeks at 1.24 and 1.48 in Weeks 5 and 6 respectively.