Extra innings

Written byNick Gilden Hours Last Updated on Categories Baseball

What is the Meaning of Extra Innings in Baseball?

Innings in baseball are used as a measurement of points and time during a baseball game. Most baseball games consist of nine innings, and each of those innings are split into two halves. The top half and the bottom half. With each half, the teams are able to swap, giving the defense a chance to play offense and the offense to play as defense. The halves swap once a team has been awarded three outs.

Given the nature of baseball, sometimes the nine innings will lead to a draw. In cases like this, more innings are often advised as a way to produce a clear winner. Extra innings can be added onto the end of a live game or carried over to a rescheduled game.

When do Extra Innings End?

Extra innings end once the away team has more runs during their half or until the home team completes a game winning run. This means that games can, in theory, continue indefinitely until a clear winner is apparent.

What is the Extra Inning Rule in Baseball?

In Major League Baseball, the extra inning rule is used in games that are tied after nine innings. This rule states that each team will begin the tenth inning, or any subsequent extra inning, with a runner on second base.

The runner at second base will be the player who made the last out of the previous inning. This rule is designed to help speed up the game and prevent it from dragging on for too long.

The extra inning rule has been in effect since 2020 and is typically used when teams are unable to determine a winner after nine innings of regulation play.

I'm Nick, a professional researcher & writer by day and a die-hard baseball fan by night. I have a deep love and knowledge of the game and love sharing it with others. I've been involved in baseball in one way or another for as long as I can remember - playing the game on an amateur level since I was a kid, writing about the game for my college newspaper, and now working with some of the biggest names in baseball media.