Overview

• MLB implemented a reduction in the buffer zone used to grade umpires’ ball and strike calls, shrinking it from two inches to 0.75 inches as part of a new collective bargaining agreement.
• The rulebook strike zone remains unchanged, but the tighter evaluation has led to fewer borderline pitches being called strikes, impacting pitchers and catchers significantly.
• Players, managers, and union sources have criticized MLB for poor communication, with many claiming they were not adequately informed about the change before the season began.
• Data shows a significant increase in pitches on the edges being called balls, with called strikes that should have been balls rising from 300 to 550 in the first week of the season compared to last year.
• MLB’s competition committee is set to review the change, but no formal adjustments or reversals have been announced as of early May 2025.