Unbelievable Speed: Discover How These MLB Wild-Card Games Broke All Records for Fastest Play

Remember when baseball had the notorious reputation of being nearly as slow as watching paint dry? Well, those days are waning. Since 2023, MLB has cranked up the tempo, giving fans more action and less tedium, thanks largely to that pitch timer everyone’s been buzzing about. But here’s a fun brain teaser: some of the fastest games in the modern “wild-card era” actually blitzed by long before any new rules came into play. Curious how nine innings could sometimes fly faster than a quick coffee break? Let’s dive into those razor-sharp contests where pitchers worked their magic, hitters swung with precision, and the clock barely seemed to tick. Spoiler alert—Armando Galarraga’s “perfect game that wasn’t” sneaks onto this list, proving fast doesn’t always mean flawless. If you ever found yourself drifting off during endless four-hour slugfests, these lightning-quick gems might just restore your faith in baseball’s pace. Trust me, missing these games is like forgetting to stop at the snack counter on your way into the ballpark—regrettable. Ready to see which games zipped by before the pitch timer stole the show?

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The Astros outhit the Braves 7-2, but Maddux limited them to one run – an RBI single by losing pitcher Darryl Kile – while throwing 114 pitches – the most of his 30 postseason games. Ryan Klesko’s solo homer to lead off the bottom of the second staked the Braves to a 2-0 lead.  

Perhaps you were resting up after watching too many four-hour-plus marathon games.

Baseball once had a reputation for being too long, but it’s no longer the case with MLB speeding up the action beginning in 2023. As part of our MLB coverage, we look at the fastest games of the wild-card era, and most of the games occurred before the newer rules.

Nonetheless, in looking back across the wild-card era, you didn’t want to be stuck in traffic outside a stadium on the days of the fastest games (nine or more innings). These box scores were clean. Notable on the list is Armando Galarraga’s perfect game that wasn’t in 2010.

Kevin Millwood allowed only a solo home run with zero walks while facing only 29 batters in a complete-game win. Brian Jordan plated his second RBI as the Braves put the game away with three runs in the seventh.

The much-embraced pitch timer arrived in the 30th anniversary season of Major League Baseball’s wild-card era (note the postseason in the inaugural 1994 campaign wound up being canceled by a work stoppage).

MLB’s Fastest Games in Wild-Card Era (Regular Season)

The Detroit media called it “the 28-out perfect game,” but Armando Galarraga fell shy of the record book when after the righty recorded 26 straight outs, umpire Jim Joyce ruled Cleveland’s Jason Donald – the 27th batter – safe with an infield single. Instant replay showed the call was incorrect, but it stood because MLB didn’t implement full video review until 2014. Galarraga (67 strikes out of 88 pitches, or 76.1%) retired the next batter for a one-hitter, then received an apology from Joyce after the game.       

1. 1:39 – @ Chicago White Sox 2, Seattle Mariners 1 (April 16, 2005)

If you blinked, maybe you missed the fastest games in recent MLB history.

2. 1:41 – @ Detroit Tigers 3, Kansas City Royals 0 (July 24, 2002)

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T-3. 1:44 – @ Detroit Tigers 3, Cleveland 0 (June 2, 2010)

The Braves trailed 2-1 on two unearned runs when Fred McGriff and Jermaine Dye hit solo home runs in the top of the seventh of this National League Division Series contest. Greg Maddux, who was an ERA wonder while collecting four consecutive NL Cy Young Awards from 1992-95, worked seven strong innings and combined with two relievers to retire the final 16 Dodgers’ batters.

T-3. 1:44 – @Toronto Blue Jays 3, Kansas City Royals 1 (May 10, 2005)

No pitch clock needed here in the final postseason before the rule change: Shane Bieber worked 7.2 innings and Emmanuel Clase had a four-out save. Jose Siri gave the Rays a 1-0 lead with a home run in the top of the sixth, but the Guardian’ Jose Ramirez answered with a two-run shot off Shane McClanahan in the bottom of the inning.

• 5. 1:45 – @ Toronto Blue Jays, 2, Detroit Tigers 1 (Sept. 27, 1998)
• 6. 1:46 – @ Atlanta Braves 2, Toronto Blue Jays 0 (June 27, 1998)
• T-7. 1:47 – Seattle Mariners 2, @ Oakland Athletics 0 (April 25, 2007)
• T-7. 1:47 – @ Pittsburgh Pirates 2, Arizona Diamondbacks 1 (Aug. 25, 2004)
• T-7. 1:47 – @ Atlanta Braves 4, Chicago Cubs 0 (April 6, 1997)
• T-10. 1:48 – @ Chicago Cubs 3, Cincinnati Reds 0 (May 24, 2001)
• T-10. 1:48 – @ Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Atlanta Braves 2 (Aug. 4, 1999)
• T-10. 1:48 – @ Oakland Athletics 2, Seattle Mariners 0 (July 8, 2008)
• T-10. 1:48 – @ Chicago Cubs 1, Cincinnati Reds 0 (Sept. 27, 2024)
• T-14. 1:49 – @ Boston Red Sox 2, Cleveland Guardians 0 (April 17, 2024)
• T-14. 1:49 – @ Oakland Athletics 1, Minnesota Twins 0 (June 2, 2007)
• T-14. 1:49 – @ San Francisco Giants 2, Pittsburgh Pirates 1 (May 9, 2005)
• T-14. 1:49 – @ Oakland Athletics 6, Chicago White Sox 0 (May 6, 2003)
• T-14. 1:49 – @ Chicago Cubs 2, St. Louis Cardinals 1 (June 21, 2002)
• T-14. 1:49 – @ Detroit Tigers 1, Boston Red Sox 0 (April 22, 1999)

MLB’s Fastest Games in Wild-Card Era (Postseason)

As the list indicates, the fastest MLB games often occur when the home team is winning and the bottom of the ninth isn’t necessary. In the fastest game, White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle outdueled Ryan Franklin as both threw complete games and allowed a combined eight hits and walks, throwing strikes on 134 of 197 pitches (68.0%). Paul Konerko fueled the White Sox offense with a pair of solo home runs.

1. 2:08 – Atlanta Braves 3, @ Los Angeles Dodgers 2 (NLDS Game 2; Oct. 3, 1996)

The post MLB’s Fastest Games During the Wild-Card Era appeared first on Opta Analyst.

2. 2:09 – @ San Diego Padres 4, Atlanta Braves 0 (NL Wild Card Game 1; Oct. 1, 2024)

3. 2:13 – @ Atlanta Braves 5, Houston Astros 1 (NLDS Game 2; Oct. 6, 1999)

No Royals base runner reached scoring position as Tigers righty Jose Lima allowed two hits across seven innings and combined with two relievers on the shutout. Randall Simon’s second-inning home run off the right-field foul pole put the Tigers ahead to stay.

4. 2:15 – @ Atlanta Braves 2, Houston Astros 1 (NLDS Game 1; Sept. 30, 1997)

While the implementation of the pitch timer as a major change in the 2023 season led to quicker baseball games, shutouts, complete games and batters getting into the box in a timely fashion (now they do under the rule change) have always kept the pace of play moving along.

5. 2:17 – @ Cleveland Guardians 2, Tampa Bay Rays 1 (AL Wild-Card Game 1; Oct. 7, 2022)

Roy Halladay scattered eight hits in a complete-game win over the Royals, whose manager, Tony Pena, resigned later that night due to their 8-25 record. Shea Hillenbrand’s two-run home run in the bottom of the third broke a 1-1 tie, and it ended the scoring.  

• 2:19 – Oakland Athletics 3, @ Minnesota Twins 2 (ALDS Game 1; Oct. 3, 2006)
• 2:20 – @ New York Mets 3, Atlanta Braves 2 (NLCS Game 4; Oct. 16, 1999)
• 2:23 – @ Los Angeles Dodgers 4, St. Louis Cardinals 0 (NLDS Game 3; Oct. 9, 2004)
• 2:25 – @ Atlanta Braves 15, St. Louis Cardinals 0 (NLCS Game 7; Oct. 17, 1996)
• 2:25 – Kansas City Royals 1, @ Baltimore Orioles 0 (ALWC Game 1; Oct. 1, 2024)
• 2:26 – @ San Francisco Giants 1, Atlanta Braves 0 (NLDS Game 1; Oct. 7, 2010)
• 2:26 – @ Los Angeles Dodgers 2, San Diego Padres 0 (NLDS Game 5; Oct. 11, 2024)
• 2:27 – @ Boston Red Sox 4, Los Angeles Angels 0 (ALDS Game 1; Oct. 3, 2007)
• 2:27 – Cleveland 4, @ Boston Red Sox 3 (ALDS Game 3; Oct. 2, 1998)
• 2:27 – @ Florida Marlins 2, Atlanta Braves 1 (NLCS Game 5; Oct. 12, 1997)
• 2:28 – @ Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Houston Astros 1 (World Series Game 1; Oct. 24, 2017)
• 2:29 – St. Louis Cardinals 1, @ Philadelphia Phillies 0 (NLDS Game 5; Oct. 7, 2011)
• 2:29 – @ St. Louis Cardinals 5, Houston Astros 3 (NLCS Game 1; Oct. 12, 2005)
• 2:29 – @ Chicago White Sox 5, Boston Red Sox 4 (ALDS Game 2; Oct. 5, 2005)

The Braves’ many outstanding pitching staffs during the 1990s reflect across the fastest postseason game times of the wild-card era, including the three quickest and five of the top 12 overall.
Baseball’s five-fastest regular-season games of the wild-card era – at least nine-inning games –have occurred in the American League, with the Detroit Tigers involved three times. The Toronto Blue Jays are involved in three of the six fastest games, including an interleague matchup against the Atlanta Braves.