Navigating London’s Bouncy Turf: How Phillies and Mets Adapt to Unusual Playing Surface

On Sunday, Philadelphia Phillies starter Taijuan Walker is focused on keeping the ball on the ground during high-scoring games at London Stadium against the New York Mets. However, there’s a new challenge presented by the bounciness of the artificial turf on the field.

Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos has noted that the turf in London is bounciest he’s ever played on, requiring players to adjust their approach to ground balls in the outfield. Meanwhile, Phillies manager Rob Thomson described the field surface as “a little bit spongier” than typical turf in the U.S.

In previous games at London Stadium, such as the one between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in 2019, there were a high number of home runs hit due to the unique playing surface. The fences were pushed back last year for the series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs as well. The dimensions of