Can you Tie in Baseball? What would need to Happen?
Baseball is a game of joy for Americans but have you ever wondered why a baseball game can end in a tie? It is really rare to have a tie in baseball because there have been 40 ties since baseball was started in 1876. There have been two ties in World Series as well. A tie happens when both the teams score the same runs till the ninth inning. It usually happens due to bad weather, pitches, or when both teams have decided to stop the game there. In this situation, one extra inning is held to conclude.
Table of Contents
Early History of Baseball Tie Games
In the early times, baseball was played during the daylight, and when it used to become dark the game used to stop right there. All of this used to happen because during those times baseball stadiums didn’t have lights. Hence, it was really difficult to play baseball at the night. The first time when baseball stadiums introduced lights was in 1935 in Polo Grounds in New York.
It was April 15 and the game was between New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds. When stadium lights were introduced the chances of ties were reduced to almost zero. With time almost every baseball stadium began to have stadium lights but still, Wrigley Field didn’t install stadium lights till 1988.
It became the last stadium to have lights. Since then, every stadium had to install them. In the early history of baseball tie games happened because of darkness but now bad weather is a major factor for the game to have a tie.
You might like to check out: How Long is a Baseball Game?
What Happens If the Game is in a Tie after 9 Innings?
Usually, when a tie happens, it occurs within the ninth innings. Nevertheless, many baseball games have witnessed a tie at the end of the baseball game. What happens if the game is in a tie after 9 innings? When a game falls in a tie, an extra inning is played and whoever wins in that inning is considered the winner. Sometimes the extra inning also ends up in a tie. To cater to this situation extra innings are increased to the extent that one team becomes the winner. It is also interesting to know that if the home team wins then it is considered a walk-off win for them.
When would an MLB Game End in a Tie?
Baseball fans think that a game would never end in a tie because of extra innings and the stadium lights but there are rare cases when a baseball game cannot continue with a tie. When would an MLB game end in a tie? There is a possibility that the game would end in a tie if it is the year’s end and now the game cannot continue. We can understand this through an example let’s suppose both the teams ended up in a tie and it is the end of the season. Now both the teams cannot have another game although MLB can reschedule a game there is no reason behind it. Hence, that game would end up in a tie.
Has an All-Star Game Ended in a Tie?
An All-Star as its name suggests is played just for the sake of the fans. So, has an all-star game ended in a tie? An all-star game that ends in a tie is a rare sight but this has happened back in 2016 on September 19. This game ended on a tie and wasn’t continued after that because there was no point in making it longer as it was just for entertainment purposes no stat was involved in the game. The game was between Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.
When was the Last Regular Season MLB Tie Game?
Whether or not it is a rare sight for baseball players but yes there have been times when many games were cancelled due to severe weather conditions. When was the last regular season MLB tie game? In 2016 there were a total of four games that went into ties due to rain delays. The last game that ended up in a tie was between Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. However, this game ended because of an incident on the field.
Can Ties Occur in the MLB Playoffs?
Baseball is not a game that ends with a tie there is a need to have one winner, in the end, to proceed further. But, can a tie occur in the MLB playoffs? No, just like regular games play-offs have to come to an end having one winner.
You also like to read about: Baseball Switch Hitter
Should Baseball Games End in a Tie?
It would be fascinating for the fans to have a tie in baseball games because in other games fans usually enjoy it. So, should baseball games end in a tie? Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of baseball game ties.
Pros:
- Ties can make games smarter and shorter. In this way, the game will get rid of extra innings.
- Pitchers and players of the game get tired due to long innings hence, to make things easy for the players it is necessary to have the game within nine innings.
Cons:
- There should be an end to the game so that everyone who supports any team must get a chance to witness their team’s win.
- There shouldn’t be a change in baseball’s tradition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Tiebreaker in MLB?
Let’s suppose there are three teams and they all ended up in a tie now two teams with the best combo of winning percentage will have the chance with other clubs.
Has there ever been a 3 way Tie in MLB?
There have been 3 tie-breaker games once in MLB in the 1959 series, 2007, and 2009.
When was the Last Triple Header in Baseball?
It happened on October 2, 1920. During this time Brooklyn Robbins was leading the National League comfortably.
The Bottom Line on Can you Tie in Baseball?
Like every other sport sometimes games end up in a tie. Ties are very rare in baseball however, whenever they have happened the teams have played extra innings till, they reach the winner. There are times when a game that ends up in a tie is not rescheduled again but that is in rare cases. However, in baseball, there must be one winner.
Similar Posts:
What is the Strike Zone in Baseball?
What Does the K Mean in Baseball?
What Does WHIP Mean in Baseball?
