Baseball in 2023 is experiencing a decline, and the reason behind this downfall remains elusive.
Down in the Dumps: The 2025 MLB Season and the Dead Ball Fiasco
Let's face it - this year's Major League Baseball (MLB) is in a funk. Unbridled excitement for stars like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge has been dampened by a common enemy - a dead ball.
The Athletic recently reported that this year's baseball has experienced an unprecedented drag since data collection began around 2016. The increased drag means that those glorious fly balls don't fly as far through the air, with 4 feet shorter lands being the norm. And guess what? The league is even admitting it!
Glen Caplin, a league spokesman, confirmed the increased drag. According to The Athletic's report, Caplin stated that MLB has acknowledged this increase and is working with experts to unravel the mystery.
One plausible explanation? A minute adjustment in seam dimensions. Players have noticed the shift themselves — Athletics DH Brent Rooker admits that he's "definitely hit some balls that I thought were gonna have a chance and they’ve been caught against the wall."
In stark contrast to the juiced ball from the 2019 season, where 15.3% of fly balls became home runs, our current hard-hit balls are only yielding 11.1%. That's the lowest figure in over a decade and it's disappointing, especially considering that hitters are putting more fly balls into play compared to grounders records from the past 15 years.
The league likely isn't at fault, as recent rule changes have been designed to boost offense, not handicap it. Still, the fact remains: the ball is dead. And despite its detrimental impact on on-field performance and outcomes, the league is struggling to understand the root cause.
Players and fans alike are growing impatient for a solution. If the league doesn't figure this out soon, they might just lose the attention of the baseball faithful for good.
Enrichment Data:
The primary cause for the heightened drag is the slightly elevated or wider seams on the baseballs, leading to increased aerodynamic drag and a decrease in the distance the balls travel when hit. Despite no changes in manufacturing, storage, or handling procedures, the league has confirmed the discrepancy. Overall, the drag on 2025 MLB balls is at its highest recorded level, reducing fly ball distance and home run rates[1][3][4].
Despite the league's attempts to boost offense with recent rule changes, the 2025 MLB season is facing a significant challenge - the dead ball, as proven by a higher aerodynamic drag resulting from slightly elevated or wider seams on the baseballs. This issue, which has led to a decrease in fly ball distance and home run rates, is causing great discouragement among both players and fans, potentially leading to loss of attention if not addressed promptly.
On the optimistic side, baseball enthusiasts and skilled hitters like Brent Rooker of the Athletics still place their bets on exciting sports moments during the 2025 MLB season, hoping that the league will soon resolve the dead ball fiasco and restore the thrill of watching home runs soar through the air.
