Doubles and triples are dwindling in MLB. Blame better outfielders and sluggers.

[Auggie]

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — All those missing doubles and triples, well, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts thinks he knows where at least some of them went.

Over the fence.

“I think that guys chase exit velocity and launch angle so that doesn’t lend itself to balls in the gap or down the lines,” Roberts said. “So I think that’s the whole crux for me.”

While singles and home runs were up in the majors last year, the number of doubles and triples continued to decline. There were 7,745 doubles, down from 7,771 in 2024 and 8,254 a decade ago in 2016, according to Sportradar. Triples dropped to 628, compared to 697 in 2024 and 873 in 2016.

MORE: https://apnews.com/article/mlb-doubles-triples-arenado-2eaee79e3c7a1a3772bbaba5a2bf0e71

Highlights (from the link):

The decline in doubles and triples can be traced to a variety of factors. Among them:

• Defensive positioning -- there is no limit to shifts unlike the infield play

• Ballpark dimensions -- moving in the fences creates more home runs

• Emphasis on launch angle and velocity, as mentioned above

• Outfielders are more athletic, cutting down on the balls that used to roll all the way to the wall

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Doubles and triples have been an exciting, integral part of baseball seemingly forever, just like the stolen base and bunt. I could advocate moving the fences back, but I think I'd be in the minority. Fans and players love their home runs. And yeah, they are fun IF you have a Judge or Ohtani on the roster.

[awesomerwb1]

1. It's a combination of all those things

As a die hard Dodger fan it is very annoying to me that the analytics nerds "recommended" the hitters simply swing for the fences. That's why the Dodgers hit a lot of solo homeruns because there's no one on base. It has been maddening at times (for Dodger fans) when a simple grounder would score a run but no, let's try to hit it out of the park = strikeout.

This power over contact approach has resulted in batting averages going down seems like every year. Trea Turner won the NL batting title last year hitting just .304.

[Auggie]

2. +1 ...

subtly has slowly been drummed out of America's consciousness. Sports. Business. Politics. Social interaction.

Home runs make great headlines and home run calls make great sound bites.

The Guardians are refreshingly honest about their lack of power and stress speed and base running acumen. But that requires high on-base percentage, productive outs, and timely sacrifices, something they haven't quite mastered. Another thing: it works for the season but not always in a best of three or best of five playoff.

[Brother Buzz]

3. Perhaps they could reengineer the baseball and take some distance off it

I’m not advocating bringing back the dead-ball, but do you remember a couple of decades ago, for a season or two, everyone was complaining the ball didn’t travel as far? Seems it was around the time Rawlings moved production from Haiti to Costa Rica.

[Auggie]

4. Excellent point

Unfortunately, that could counter commissioner Rob Manfred's efforts to increase run production. I believe that came about from research with Millennials that whined about "boring" baseball.

[303squadron]

5. Who "digs" the long ball?

Chicks
Fans
The Commish
Players
Agents

Also, doctors who perform Tommy John since 1/3 of pitchers in all levels of professional baseball have had that surgery. Some have even had two. Because the response to more long balls is 95+mph.

So the answer is that everyone who isn’t a pitcher digs the long ball.