Every few years, a trend emerges across Major League Baseball that threatens to forever alter the foundation of the sport. And every few years, the players who’ve spent their entire lives adjusting to the talent levels of their opponents figure out a way to buck that trend and change the narrative.
As recently as two years ago, pundits were calling for MLB to raise the strike zone because hitters were struggling to hit breaking balls at their knees. This rule, which has been in effect since 1996, was thought to be outdated in the era of PITCHF/x and instant replay.