SportTechie · May 25, 2018
MLB Research Determines Reduced Drag Boosted Home Run Surge
Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on May 24, 2018. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)Major League Baseball concluded that reduced aerodynamic drag of the baseballs has contributed to a league-wide spike in home runs since the second half of the 2015 season. In other words, the physical properties of the balls themselves appear to have changed, reducing air resistance and allowing a ball to “carry” farther.