# What would MLB have done with this scenario? What would you have done? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [October 3, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407 "2024-10-03T14:24:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/1 "2024-10-03T14:24:12Z")
In Monday’s Mets-Braves doubleheader, where MLB decreed that both games must be played to a conclusion before the playoffs proper could begin on Tuesday, what would have happened if the first game had gone 20 or more innings with no conclusion reached? Would the Commish have stepped in around inning 20 and declared the entire doubleheader off, and ruled the Diamondbacks (whose fate depended on the outcome of the doubleheader) out of luck, based on head-to-head results? Or would he have pushed the start of the NL playoffs back from Tuesday to Wednesday, and ordered the games to be continued on Tuesday? Or something else? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/2 "2024-10-03T16:31:01Z")
They probably would have finished the games. Note that with the ghost runner rule, crazy long games aren’t a thing anymore. It’s still possible but way less likely. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/3 "2024-10-03T18:13:16Z")
I’d let the game continue. Perhaps after 34 innings. After the record set by the [Pawsox](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_professional_baseball_game) is broken then I’d consider a delay and finishing the next day. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/4 "2024-10-03T18:13:23Z")
Even without the ghost runner, they would have finished the game, and probably moved the 2nd game to the next day. The playoff series for the NL would have begun a day late. And just in case folks look for the ghost runner in playoff extra innings, it’s still only a regular season rule (which Monday’s games were, of course). ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/5 "2024-10-03T18:41:17Z")
I agree with the consensus - games played, and delay the start of the NL playoffs if necessary. Here’s an interesting scenario: suppose game 1 of the Mets-Braves doubleheader went incredibly long. The winner gets in; the loser still has to win game 2, or the Diamondbacks get in in their place. Does the winning team “ease up” to rest their starters? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/6 "2024-10-03T20:12:56Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Does the winning team “ease up” to rest their starters? That’s exactly what happened in Game 2 - the Mets started Joey Lucchesi, who had pitched all of 4.1 innings previously in 2024 - back in May. They also took out Vientos, Lindor, Francisco Alvarez and JD Martinez. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/7 "2024-10-03T20:20:24Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Even without the ghost runner The what now? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/8 "2024-10-03T20:22:44Z")
During the regular season, when a game goes into extra innings, a runner starts the inning on 2nd base. Commissioner Manfred implemented it a few years ago, and it is commonly referred to as the “Manfred Man”, or some echo school yard rules of the “ghost runner”. It’s not a ghost runner, though - it’s an actual player, whoever precedes the first batter in the lineup. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/9 "2024-10-03T20:57:09Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > when a game goes into extra innings, a runner starts the inning on 2nd base. Since this rule was instituted in 2020, the longest game has been 16 innings. In 2024, the longest game was 12 innings. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/10 "2024-10-04T16:07:39Z")
I was going to say the Mariners and Astros had a game go 18 innings a couple of years ago, then I remembered that it was a playoff game so there was no ghost runner. > **[The Astros and Mariners tie the record for longest MLB playoff game ever](https://www.sbnation.com/2022/10/15/23406682/mlb-playoffs-houston-astros-seattle-mariners-alds-longest-playoff-game-ever-jeremy-pena-home-run)** > > It took 18 innings for one of Houston or Seattle to score a single run. That just shows you what a difference that rule makes I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-mlb-have-done-with-this-scenario-what-would-you-have-done/1008407/11 "2024-10-04T18:21:46Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > > [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > > > Even without the ghost runner > > The what now? I prefer the Manfred Man.