Yankees-Marlins Game Sets Pitch Clock Era Record for Longest Nine-Inning Contest

The 3-hour, 49-minute matchup surpassed the previous high since the pitch clock was introduced in 2023.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 10:06pm

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The New York Yankees' 9-7 win over the Miami Marlins on Saturday night lasted 3 hours and 49 minutes, making it the longest nine-inning game since the pitch clock was instituted for the 2023 MLB season. The game featured 379 total pitches from 13 different pitchers, with the Marlins walking 10 batters and leaving 21 runners on base.

Why it matters

The pitch clock was introduced by MLB to help speed up the pace of play, but this marathon game between the Yankees and Marlins shows that even with the new rule, long, drawn-out contests can still occur. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the pitch clock and whether further adjustments may be needed to truly achieve the league's goal of reducing game times.

The details

The previous record for the longest nine-inning game since the pitch clock started in 2023 was 3 hours and 45 minutes, set during an Oakland Athletics-New York Mets game in August 2024. Saturday's Yankees-Marlins matchup surpassed that by 4 minutes, with the two teams combining for 379 pitches and the Marlins walking 10 batters.

  • The pitch clock was instituted for the 2023 MLB season.
  • The previous record for longest nine-inning game since the pitch clock was 3 hours and 45 minutes, set in August 2024.
  • Saturday's Yankees-Marlins game lasted 3 hours and 49 minutes, the longest nine-inning contest in the pitch clock era.

The players

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the Bronx, New York. They are one of the most successful and iconic franchises in MLB history.

Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida. They have won two World Series championships in their history, in 1997 and 2003.

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The takeaway

This record-setting game highlights the ongoing challenges MLB faces in trying to reduce game times and maintain a brisk pace of play, even with the implementation of the pitch clock. It suggests that further adjustments or rule changes may be necessary to truly achieve the league's goal of shortening the length of games.