

Since the first breath of the 2025 MLB season, there was something evidently off with baseball flight. Balls with exit velocities over 110 mph that usually soar into the stands are now just dying at the warning track. While stars like Aaron Judge can send the balls 442 feet high, there are stars like Juan Soto, too. Once an explosive bat, they are now witnessing their best-hit balls fall simply short.
All of it points to the shift in the fabric of the game. And taking that into account, a Pittsburgh Pirates voice has shared some major revelations that put things into perspective. It’s the Pirates’ star outfielder, Andrew McCutchen.
He publicly cited that an MLB representative has admitted that all the balls being used for the regular season games are, indeed, different. To be specific, the representative pointed out “higher seams” on the baseballs, which produce more drag. It’s a big deal given the fact that higher seams cause the balls to not travel as far as they ideally should.
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I was told by a rep for MLB that the balls are indeed different this year. 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… https://t.co/StaUR45PFv
— Andrew McCutchen (@TheCUTCH22) June 14, 2025
From a place of pure curiosity, McCutchen pressed more on the representative‘s revelation. And as he did, he was told, “Every baseball is hand-sewn, so no ball is the same.” Yep! For the record, McCutchen was told that there’s nothing that can be done about rectifying the current performance of this year’s balls.
This secret MLB change was disclosed after players opened up about their struggles. Athletics outfielder, Brent Rooker, shared, “I’ve definitely hit some balls that I thought were gonna have a chance, and they’ve been caught against the wall. Maybe the extra drag is why my expected slugging percentage is 100 points higher than my actual slugging percentage.”
Now, it’s worth noting that the average drag coefficient on baseballs in the 2025 season has hit .3514. It’s apparently the highest since Statcast started tracking it. It’s also led to a measured four-foot dip in terms of distance on average. That’s actually proving a lot. Such as, home runs per fly ball are now slumped to an eight-year low. That, too, when the hitters have been swinging hard enough.
Seems a bit unjust, doesn’t it? But still, the league is “working hard” to get to the bottom of why seams are higher than they should be.
What’s your perspective on:
Are MLB's higher-seamed balls ruining the game, or is it just a new challenge for hitters?
Have an interesting take?
MLB finally addresses baseball concerns
MLB and Commissioner Rob Manfred have been paying close attention to the looming baseball controversy. The players have been raising their concerns openly about the balls. As per a source who happened to attend a confidential meeting, Manfred has acknowledged that the balls are performing differently.
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Well, at least the league is aware of the floating issue, even if there is no fix planned as of now. Meanwhile, the MLB Players Association has been more involved in this case. Their managing director of player services, Kevin Slowey, confessed that the union has been watching closely how baseball behaves for the remainder of the season.
They have, in fact, reached out to the commissioner’s office. They requested the data and details from them on several baseball metrics. After all, the players do deserve to absorb the entire impact on gameplay.
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Despite all the running discussions, MLB’s stance is clear. According to them, the gameplay hasn’t entirely changed. MLB pointed out that across the first 978 games of the season, stats were just as consistent as last year. Also, Manfred cited concerns with spiking costs that are tied to ball imports. He emphasized that tariffs, especially on minor league baseballs made in China, will increase the expenditure.
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So, until there are any further changes or tiny shifts, MLBPA will be watching closely.
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Are MLB's higher-seamed balls ruining the game, or is it just a new challenge for hitters?