There are penalty shootouts in hockey and football, but in baseball? The game continues to extra innings until a winner is decided, period. This strong approach has led to some of the toughest matches in sports history. The longest MLB games can go past midnight and into the early morning.

Over the decades, both regular-season and postseason matchups have delivered epic marathons that test every aspect of a team’s depth. From the 26-inning record set in 1920 to recent 2025 playoff battles, these endurance contests reveal something essential about baseball’s character. The longest games are not just statistical curiosities; they create unforgettable drama that fans discuss for generations.

Let’s explore MLB history to discover how long games lasted.

What is the longest MLB game ever?

The Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves had the record of the longest MLB game played. On May 1, 1920, the game stretched through 26 innings. And interestingly, the game remained tied at 1-1 with neither team securing victory despite three hours and 50 minutes of baseball. By the end, the game was halted by the officials due to darkness because back then, the artificial lighting wasn’t there.

Both starting pitchers, Leon Cadore for Brooklyn and Joe Oeschger for Boston, threw all 26 innings, each allowing just one run. This complete-game performance by both starters stands as perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the record.

Modern baseball would never see such endurance, yet these pitchers managed it when expectations demanded they finish what they started. Brooklyn scored first when Ivy Olson lined a fifth-inning single, while Boston answered in the sixth through Tony Boeckel’s hit. Then both offenses went silent for 20 more innings until the umpire called the game. 

Well, this season, October baseball just witnessed something like that.

Which postseason game is the longest in the history of the league?

On Friday night, the Seattle Mariners not only defeated the Detroit Tigers in the series finale game of the 2025 ALDS at T-Mobile Park. But with that, they made history with the longest winner-take-all game in MLB playoffs. Yes, the game stretched for 15 innings.

Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive walk-off single in the 15th inning, sending Seattle to the ALCS against Toronto. The game featured remarkable pitching that kept both teams scoreless for long stretches. Tarik Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, started for Detroit and dominated early innings before Seattle’s bullpen matched that intensity. George Kirby countered for the Mariners, setting the stage for a bullpen battle that extended deep into extra innings.

Both teams exhausted their pitching staffs, bringing in relievers who hadn’t expected to throw that night. The marathon tested not just skill but roster depth and managerial decisions that became increasingly consequential with each passing inning. A total of 575 pitches were thrown!

Longest MLB playoffs game with highest number of innings

The longest postseason MLB game was the 18-inning game between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves. It was Game 2 of the 2005 NLDS, which Houston won 7-6. That game lasted five hours and 50 minutes, requiring both teams to deplete their pitching staffs in October.

Do you know the 2025 Tigers-Mariners game joins an elite group of postseason games?

• Game 3, 2022 ALDS (18 innings): Astros 1, Mariners 0
• Game 3, 2018 World Series (18 innings): Dodgers 3, Red Sox 2
• Game 2, 2014 NLDS (18 innings): Giants 2, Nationals 1
• Game 4, 2005 NLDS (18 innings): Astros 7, Braves 6
• Game 6, 1986 NLCS (16 innings): Mets 7, Astros 6
• Game 5, 2025 ALDS (15 innings): Mariners 3, Tigers 2
• Game 2, 2022 ALWC (15 innings): Guardians 1, Rays 0
• Game 5, 1999 NLCS (15 innings): Mets 4, Braves 3
• Game 2, 1995 ALDS (15 innings): Yankees 7, Mariners 5
• Game 1, 2015 World Series (14 innings): Royals 5, Mets 4
• Game 2, 2015 ALDS (14 innings): Rangers 6, Blue Jays 4
• Game 3, 2005 World Series (14 innings): White Sox 7, Astros 5
• Game 5, 2004 ALCS (14 innings): Red Sox 5, Yankees 4
• Game 2, 1916 World Series (14 innings): Red Sox 2, Robins (Dodgers) 1

Here’s what the longest games teach us: baseball doesn’t do shortcuts. From the 1920s to the 2025 epic playoff, it’s a classic reminder that makes America’s favourite pastime different from other sports.