Orioles unveil massive outfield dimensions change for 2025

Back in 2022, the Orioles announced a major change to their left field dimensions. In an attempt to help their pitchers avoid succumbing to the bandbox of Camden Yards, the O's moved the left field wall back about 26 feet, and also made the wall about 6 feet taller.

The changes worked, albeit a bit too well. The newly minted "Walltimore" strictly reduced right-handed hitters' power and made it a bit more difficult for outfielders to cover, with more space and new angles.

After just three short years, the Orioles have seen enough. On Friday afternoon, Orioles GM Mike Elias told reporters in a media session that the team plans on once again adjusting the left field dimensions at Camden Yards in an attempt to move the needle back toward the hitters.

Per the information released by the team, the wall will move in between 14-26 feet in different places, and maybe more importantly will be shortened significantly, as much as 5-6 feet shorter in spots. Elias did say that there will be no effect on the current seating capacity.

Orioles acknowledge problem with cavernous left field, plan on adjustments for 2025

Elias told reporters that the previous move was an overcorrection that eventually became a distraction for hitters, especially righties. There are receipts to prove that was the case.

Statcast has a Park Factors metric that compares the effects of parks against one another (100 is average, and higher numbers mean the park is better for hitters). Between 2019-2021, the Orioles had a HR Park Factor of 124, second highest in the league behind only Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. After the change, between 2022-2024, that Park Factor dropped to a paltry 93, a bottom-10 mark league-wide. And in the last three years, the Park Factor at Camden for right-handed hitters was 79, tied for third worst in the league.

To be clear, this is a problem that the Orioles created. The park dimensions weren't a major point of contention among fans, nor were they a problem for players. Surely the Orioles' pitchers wished the park was a bit more friendly to pitch in but all told, those initial changes weren't necessary. However, it's ultimately a good thing that the O's have take notice and will make changes to shift the park back toward the middle of the pack.