Baseballs are seeing increased drag during flight this season, The Athletic found in a review of MLB’s available data. According to The Athletic’s review, there has been more drag on baseballs in 2025 than in any of the other nine seasons that MLB has tracked this data, causing baseballs to come an average of four feet shorter than usual.
The MLB recently responded to the issue:
“We are aware of an increase in average drag this season and have provided information to the Major League Baseball Players Association on this issue as our experts continue to study any potential causes beyond normal variability in a product made by hand with natural materials,” spokesperson Glen Caplin said. “There has been no change to the manufacturing, storage or handling of baseballs this year, and all baseballs remain within specifications.”
Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter and five-time All-Star Andrew McCutchen offered further insight on the increased drag, noting that a MLB rep informed him that “higher seams” have led to more drag. McCutchen added he was told the issue will not be fixed this year.
“I was told by a rep for MLB that the balls are indeed different this year,” McCutchen wrote on X. “They stated ‘higher seams’ which produces more drag on baseball, causing baseballs to not travel as far as they should. When asked why, I was told ‘every baseball is hand sewn so no ball is the same.’ When I asked if there is something that can be done about correcting the current performance of this years baseball, I was told there was ‘nothing’ that can be done about it this season BUT, they are ‘working hard on getting to the bottom of why the seams are higher.'”
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