- Pitchers and coaches from both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros have claimed the World Series baseballs are slicker than the regular-season baseballs.
- Pitchers have complained about the grip on the World Series balls, saying the surface is slicker.
- MLB said there are only minor differences in the balls and that they are made and held to the same standard as the balls used during the regular season.
The 2017 World Series has been a shootout through five games.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros have scored a combined 58 runs, with 22 home runs, punctuated by the Astros' Game 5, 13-12 win on Sunday.
According to pitchers and managers from both teams, the explosive offense may be due to a change in the baseballs being used in the World Series.
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The Astros ace Justin Verlander was one of several people to tell Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci before Game 5 that the postseason balls are slicker.