Baseball prides itself on its traditions. Its fans revel in team histories, player lore and the game’s funky folklore, be it the Curse of the Bambino, the Black Sox Scandal, or the Curse of the Billy Goat. So the game and those who love it can be susceptible to nostalgia and suspicious of change. That appreciation for heritage shouldn’t get in the way of appreciating some of the developments that make baseball better in 2026. And remember: Baseball has always been changing. No one wants to go back to the dead ball era, or a time when no one wore batting helmets.

The World Baseball Classic

An odd gimmick that started in 2006 has become an international joy 20 years in. Yes, Major League Baseball players get to mix and match like the world’s most competitive softball league. But the real thrill is seeing the rest of the world’s talent match up, mix in and adapt on the big stage. The tournament is certainly more entertaining than the middle weeks of Spring Training. And unlike when baseball was part of the Summer Olympics, competing for attention with the rest of the world’s athletes, the WBC has the typically languid March all to itself. 

The Pitch Clock

Baseball was starting to break me before the pitch clock. Yes, it did break up the uniqueness of the game being one of the very few without a clock at all. But too many games were getting into the three- and four-hour territory without any real benefit for players, fans or anyone else. The game previously policed itself. Recall Vin Scully’s quip that: “Bob Gibson pitches as though he’s double parked.” Not everyone will work at that pace. But neither did they need to pitch – or step out of the batter’s box, or other tics — like they’re at an opium den. 

Affiliates and Realignment

Baseball’s great realignment of 2021, when Major League Baseball reduced the number of Minor League Baseball affiliates from around 160 to 120 was controversial. I was skeptical this would turn out well. Did the big league think fewer teams would help grow a game struggling to attract young people? A few years down the line, the system makes sense, at least to me. Each team has the minor league affiliates it needs and mostly relatively nearby; independent and partner leagues that absorbed some of the cast-out teams seem to be thriving. Baseball is everywhere. 

The Merch

City Connect and other alternative apparel are certainly a way to part people from their money. They’re also just cool. Who doesn’t want a Los Serpientes jersey? Or how about a conversation with someone not from Washington, D.C., about why there are cherry blossoms on your hat. Maybe I’m a slave to fashion. But all the crazy colors and cultural displays make me happy. 

The Food

Baseball will always be about hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jacks. But I’m really glad that I can also get walleye when I’m at a Twins game, cheese curds when in Milwaukee, a chili-cheese half smoke in D.C., and garlic fries at Dodgers Stadium.

This piece is in Recommend If You Like The Baseball Issue Summer 2026. You can find physical copies in bars, cafes and stores in Chicago and Washington, D.C. The newspaper is available for purchase here. 

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