One of the biggest topics among players in recent years has been whether Major League Baseball is altering game balls to increase offense. A record 6,776 homers were hit during the 2019 regular season, which the league attributed to a decease in air resistance and inconsistent seam height.
Despite the 2020 season being shortened due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the rate of homers fell only slightly from the previous year. A record 6.6% of plate appearances resulted in home runs in 2019 compared to 6.5% last season.
Looking to avoid a repeat this year, MLB reportedly has tweaked baseballs for the 2021 season while acknowledging they expect the changes to be minor, via Jake Seiner of the Associated Press:
Major League Baseball has slightly deadened its baseballs amid a years-long surge in home runs.