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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Changes are now underway at Oriole Park at Camden Yards to make it less home run-friendly.
As the stadium celebrates its 30th anniversary, team executives said it’s time to renovate and reinvest.
“It’s 30 years old, but it is an absolute masterpiece–not just one of the best parks of baseball today, but one of the best parts in the history of Major League Baseball,” said Orioles general manager Mike Elias.
The left-field wall is being pushed back as much as 30 feet and will grow five feet taller to create a playing field that’s fair for both pitchers and hitters.
When it comes to home runs, Oriole Park is an outlier; in 2021, we saw the most home runs of any ballpark.
“This is an extreme home run park, if not the most, then the second most,” said assistant general manager Sig Mejdal. “We wanted to take this significant step towards neutrality.”
This should attract talent.
“Part of having a winning program is the ability to recruit free-agent pitchers, and that has been a historical challenge for this franchise,” said Elias.
And fans could see a more exciting game.
“We will have some additional extra-base hits, possibly triples, some balls rattling around,” said Elias. “I think it’ll be very fun and interesting. And it’s something that baseball, in general, needs more of.”
Construction will be completed before Opening Day on March 31.
“The future of baseball here and of this park and the Orioles franchise, it’s very, very exciting,” said Elias.