Sources: MLB eyes pitch clocks of 14 seconds with empty bases, 19 seconds with runners on

Major League Baseball wants to institute a 14-second pitch clock with the bases empty and a 19-second timer with runners on, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The two numbers were settled on after experiments in the minor leagues, including in low-A in 2021, in which game times were cut by about 20 minutes. The minor leagues used 15-second and 17-second clocks, but MLB determined less time was needed for pitchers with the bases empty and more time with them occupied, according to sources, hence landing on 14/19.

The desire for a clock comes after years of increasing game times, culminating last season, when the average length of a nine-inning game was a record 3 hours, 10 minutes. That's 20 minutes longer than just a decade ago, when the average length was 2:50.

Games in low-A West last year were reduced from 3:02 to 2:41 with the clock. There have been some mixed results with pitch clocks at different levels of professional baseball, but the league believes it can only help speed up the big league product.

More story at the link: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33438241/sources-mlb-eyes-pitch-clocks-14-seconds-empty-bases-19-seconds-runners-on

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