Justin Verlander made some pointed comments to ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Monday. Verlander claimed that the balls being used this year were juiced in a way that would lead to better production for hitters. He isn’t the first pitcher to make this claim, but Verlander’s voice carries a lot of weight, so that has brought this topic to the forefront of the baseball world right before the All-Star Game.
AL All-Star Game starter Justin Verlander called the baseballs used in 2019 games “a f—ing joke” and believes the league wanted a more live baseball to increase offense. News with his perspective and other players’ at ESPN: https://t.co/Jyp2OvCuKN
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 8, 2019
The numbers certainly indicate that there has been a change of some kind as balls are flying out of the park at an unprecedented rate. There have been nearly 3,700 home runs hit so far this season, and the all-time record for home runs in a season is set to be smashed. We are on pace to see just under 6,700 home runs during the 2019 season, which would dwarf the single-season record of 6,105 set in 2017.
There has been a noticeable uptick in home runs since Rob Manfred took over as commissioner before the 2015 season. Home runs are being hit 60 percent more often than they were during the 2014 campaign, and that has led some to speculation that Manfred himself is responsible for the change. He did state that he wanted to see more offense in the game after taking over as commissioner, but Manfred has denied that MLB is specifically altering baseballs.
Rob Manfred on some players' belief that MLB intentionally juiced the baseball: “Baseball has done nothing, given no direction, for an alteration of the baseball.”
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 9, 2019
Many seem to doubt that claim, and it’s tough to independently corroborate. MLB bought Rawlings (the company that makes official baseballs) last June so everything is in-house at this point. Pitchers like CC Sabathia and Marcus Stroman have also intimated that the ball has changed, so Manfred may have put some “top men” on the job.
Rob Manfred says MLB is being transparent about the baseballs this year.
He says they’re still trying to figure out why the balls — made by Rawlings, owned by the league — are different this year.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) July 9, 2019
Even though Verlander is not a fan of the baseballs this year, he has been one of the best pitchers in MLB this season. Verlander is 10-4 with a league-low 0.813 WHIP, despite allowing a league-high 26 dingers.
H/T: ESPN
