How Long Is an Inning in Baseball?

Chicago Cubs pitcher Caleb Thielbar throws against San Francisco Giants' Mike Yastrzemski during the fourth inning.
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
  • Both teams bat in an inning.
  • Each team gets three outs in an inning.
  • The longest inning in MLB history took over an hour.

It’s vital to learn what an inning is before placing any baseball parlays in the MLB betting markets at the BetMGM sportsbook.

It makes sense to find out how long an inning is after reading my previous piece on how many innings in baseball

How Long Is an Inning in Baseball?

An inning is split into two halves. The away team bats in the first half and their inning lasts until three outs have been recorded. This is repeated for the bottom “half” of the inning with the home team batting.

Innings in Major League Baseball generally last between 15 and 30 minutes. 

What’s the Longest Inning in MLB History?

The longest inning in MLB history was played between the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers on May 8, 2004. The inning took one hour and six minutes. 

Eighteen runs were scored in the fifth inning. Seven pitchers threw a combined 100 pitchers with 28 batters coming to the plate. Nine walks were issued and two home runs were hit.

The game ultimately went to extra innings with the Rangers winning 16-15 after conceding eight runs in the top of the fifth.

About the Author

Sam Cox

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Sam Cox is a freelance content writer for BetMGM. He can regularly be found on 888Sport and Betting Expert and has previously written for Sports Betting Dime, OddsChecker, and numerous others. Sam also runs Franchise Sports and has over a decade of experience in the gambling industry.

Sam Cox is a freelance content writer for BetMGM. He can regularly be found on 888Sport and Betting Expert and has previously written for Sports Betting Dime, OddsChecker, and numerous others. Sam also runs Franchise Sports and has over a decade of experience in the gambling industry.