Is MLB being honest about juiced balls?
A smuggling operation, a scientific analysis and a cracked code. All helped an astrophysicist conclude that a portion of major league baseballs used in 2020 were smaller and lighter than before—meaning they likely flew farther.

A smuggling operation, a scientific analysis and a cracked code. All helped an astrophysicist conclude that a portion of major league baseballs used in 2020 were smaller and lighter than before—meaning they likely flew farther.
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STEPHANIE APSTEIN
Stephanie Apstein is a senior writer covering baseball and Olympic sports for Sports Illustrated, where she started as an intern in 2011 and has since covered a dozen World Series and three Olympics. She has twice won top honors from the Associated Press Sports Editors, and her work has been included in the Best American Sports Writing book series. She graduated from Trinity College with a bachelor’s in French and Italian, and has a master’s in journalism from Columbia University.