How Many MLB Games Have Been Played?
The Major League Baseball (MLB) is the oldest professional sports league in existence. Founded in 1876, this iconic league has been around in one form or another for over 140 years. With a legacy like this, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the MLB has seen a staggering number of games over the course of its long history.
Number of MLB Games Played
As of the end of the 2020 regular season, the MLB had officially reached the milestone of 450,000 games played. This includes both regular season and post-season games. With each team playing an average of 162 games per season, it works out to approximately 2,800 total games played per season. Here are some other impressive stats on MLB games played:
- Total Regular Season Games Played: 393,520
- Total Postseason Games Played: 56,480
- World Series Games Played: 970
The 2020 season marked the first time that games were played in an entirely different format as the MLB adapted to the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. This included expansion of the regular season to 60 games, the introduction of a 16-team post-season tournament, and the addition of an additional round to the World Series.
Historical MLB Games Played
Throughout MLB history, some teams have seen more game activity than others. Here is a listing of the number of games played for some of the top teams in the league:
- New York Yankees: 137,357 games
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 108,412 games
- Boston Red Sox: 105,003 games
- Chicago Cubs: 101,911 games
- St. Louis Cardinals: 98,817 games
The 2020 season was certainly one to remember, but with a history of games spanning over 140 years, there are plenty of MLB games to look back on. Clearly, this iconic league has plenty of games and memories under its belt and is sure to create plenty more in the future.
