Major League Baseball has been on a consistent quest to try to balance good offense and quality pitching over the last few years. The league is apparently making another change to try and bring about more balance, and it is one that could be noticeable under certain circumstances.
MLB is putting humidors in all 30 parks this season, according to Eno Sarris of The Athletic. Previously, nine teams had been known to use humidors, most notably the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Humidors are climate-controlled chambers that ensure baseballs are stored at average humidity. In places like Colorado and Arizona, where the parks are notoriously hitter-friendly, humidors prevent baseballs from drying out. That subsequently helps pitchers, as dry baseballs have more bounce and can go further off the bat.
Sarris notes that in several parks that are notorious for their humidity, the introduction of the humidor could have the reverse effect and help hitters by keeping baseballs drier.
This will not be a big deal in most parks but the most humid parks (SF, SD, MIA, TB) may get an offensive boost as the humidors will dry the balls out a little. Humidors bring humidity to average and were a big deal in Arizona where it is very dry.
— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) March 26, 2022
If nothing else, it makes sense to ensure that all 30 parks are playing with the same baseballs, as that would help preserve a more even playing field and reduce certain park effects. This change could also be viewed as a concession to pitchers, as humidors can make baseballs easier to grip. That is a big subject since MLB is continuing to crack down on the usage of foreign substances by pitchers.
