Crazy Stat Pretty Much Proves Without a Doubt MLB Baseballs Are Juiced

Home runs are flying out of ballparks at absurd rates this year, leading plenty of fans and players to speculate that baseballs in the majors have changed. By now you've surely heard about the expletive fueled rant Justin Verlander went on, and the Astros' ace certainly has a point.

If the absurd increase in long balls at in the big leagues wasn't enough proof, then these numbers from Triple-A, which switched over to to use the same baseballs as the MLB this season, show without a doubt that they've been juiced.

The International League has slugged 1,552 home runs through the All-Star break after managing just 1,555 all of last year, and the Pacific Coast League has pounded out 2,061 of their own, just 36 shy of the 2018 full season total. Both leagues have nearly eclipsed their home run totals from all of last season here at the mid-way point of the season.

That's not some statistical anomaly. Not every player has suddenly changed their approach at the plate as doubters like JD Martinez have suggested. That's indicative of a trend.

The numbers from the minors keep similar company with those of the MLB, which is shattering home run records left and right. The league is on pace to finish with 6,688 home runs, a number that would obliterate the record of 6,105 set just two years ago.

Otherwise dominant pitchers like Verlander have been uncharacteristically snake-bitten by the long ball this season despite the fact that they've done nothing to change their pitching approach.

Despite what Rob Manfred says, these stats suggest that the balls are in fact juiced, there's simply no other logical explanation for the massive increase in home runs.