WHAT IS the Least possible number of pitches in complete game?

Answer 1

27, one pitch for each out for a nine inning game.

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The above answer is incorrect. The correct answer would be zero pitches.

If a batter steps into the batters box with an illegal bat then that batter is immediately called out, and the pitcher is credited with the out. So, if the visiting team's first batter stepped into the box with an illegal bat then he would become the first out without a pitch needing to be thrown; if the second and third batters also stepped into the box with illegal bats then they too would be called out, and the top of the inning would be concluded. For the purposes of this explanation, let's assume that the home team scores a run in the bottom of that first inning.

So, if the remaining 8 innings occurred exactly as the first inning occurred -- with each of the visiting batters entering the batters box with an illegal bat -- then all 27 visiting batters will have been called out without a single pitch needing to be thrown by the home pitcher in any inning. Since 27 outs have been recorded, the home pitcher is eligible to be credited with a complete game; thus, the correct answer is zero pitches.

I do understand that this scenario would NEVER actually occur; however, a scenario wherein 27 batters came to the plate having made 27 consecutive first-pitch outs is no more likely to occur, so it is thus equally plausible to assume the zero-pitch answer is correct as it would be the 27-pitch answer.

Besides, the question does not ask what the actual lowest number of pitches thrown in a complete game was, but just what the lowest possible would be. So, again, the answer is zero. ~ badlukk13

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Setting aside the above answer - which, technically is correct - and assuming the pitchers actually pitch, if the home team is leading at the end of 8 1/2 innings (going into the bottom of the ninth) they don't play the last half of the inning and the home team is declared the winner without playing the last half inning. The pitcher for that team need only get 3x8 = 24 players out - consequently the minimum number of pitches would be 24.

There is at least one other condition where it would be even less:

If the home team is leading after 5 1/2 innings and the game is called for rain, it counts as a complete game and a pitcher can have it counted as a complete game after facing only 3x5=15 batters. In that case the theoretical minimum would be 15 pitches.