Pitch clock shortens minor league games by 20 minutes, when will it be implemented in MLB?

MLB has yet to implement pitch clocks. However, pitch clocks were implemented in the Minor Leagues this season and have yielded surprisingly strong results.

Minor League Baseball games have been drastically shortened since the introduction of the pitch clocks. Games are now 20 minutes shorter on average. The pitch clock amount changes depending on the situation. When the bases are empty, the pitch clock is 14 seconds long. However, when there is a runner on base, the pitch clock is 18 seconds long.

"News: The implementation of a strict pitch clock in Minor League Baseball has shaved 20 minutes off game times. With its arrival in Major League Baseball next year a near-certainty, a look at ESPN at its effects, with high praise from a No. 1 overall pick:" -@JeffPassan

There are some penalties if you violate the pitch clock time. Umpires can add balls or strikes to the count if a pitch or batter violates the clock. For example, today, Minor League player Brett Auerbach was called out for taking too long.

"Still trying to figure out the exact definition of “alert to the pitcher.” Brett Auerbach was rung up for a third strike on this pitch clock violation in the first inning today." -@treywilson757

When will the MLB Implement the Pitch Clock?

Per the new agreements made in the lockout this offseason, the pitch clock will be implemented in 2023.

Why is a Pitch Clock Important?

As we see with Minor League Baseball, the pitch clock shortens the length of games. It will have the same result in the MLB.

MLB games typically take three and a half hours. If it is a low-scoring game, it might take three hours, but on average. With a pitch clock, the average length of a game will likely be around three hours, and the length of a low-scoring game will likely be around two and a half hours. This is a major decrease in time and is necessary for baseball.

SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game - World Team v United States

Fan attendance and fan viewership has been dropping over the last handful of years. This is for many reasons, but one of them is the length of the game. The games simply take too long. The pitch clock will shorten games and make them more exciting. We need both of these things to happen if we want young people to watch baseball.