The defending champion Houston Astros lead all of baseball with a sparkling 2.54 ERA, and Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer suggested their pitchers have used things to doctor the baseballs to increase their spin rates:
Trevor Bauer@drivelinebases If only there was just a really quick way to increase spin rate. Like what if you could trade for a player knowing that you could bump his spin rate a couple hundred rpm overnight...imagine the steals you could get on the trade market! If only that existed...
Matt Snyder of CBS Sports pointed out Bauer "comes pretty close to accusing the Astros pitching staff of cheating.