As the Philadelphia Phillies get ready to take on the New York Mets in Sunday’s game at London Stadium, starter Taijuan Walker has a plan to keep the ball on the ground. However, there’s a new factor to consider – the bouncy artificial turf at the venue.
Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos has noted that the turf in London is the bounciest he has ever experienced, emphasizing the need to adjust how ground balls are attacked once they reach the outfield. Manager Rob Thomson also described the field surface as “a little bit spongier” compared to turf in the United States.
In previous games at London Stadium, such as the series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in 2019, there were a high number of home runs scored. Despite adjustments to the field dimensions in subsequent series, like the one between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, the ball still tends to fly.
Walker is optimistic about his strategy to focus on throwing splitters and generating ground balls to counteract
