BALTIMORE (AP) — New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso accused Major League Baseball of manipulating the baseballs to harm the earning potential for star free agents and players eligible for arbitration. Alonso’s comments came before New York’s game at Baltimore. He was responding to a question about the crackdown on sticky substances used by pitchers. Alonso’s implication was that the balls are friendlier to hitters in a year when a number of top pitchers are about to hit free agency — and vice versa.
