Gavin Lux has lost three inches this year, according to the MLB website

In the world of sports, there's a tendency to add a few extra inches to certain players' heights. Why? Because… well, just because.

Whether it's to intimidate other teams (making them think the team is bigger can help), this has always been a common practice in the world of sports.

But in 2026, in MLB, strict enforcement will now prevail.

The reason is very simple: with the new ABS system (tapping the helmet to verify whether the umpire's strike or ball call was correct), each player's strike zone is more important than ever.

The result? Players whose height was artificially inflated now have to report their true height so the machine can do its job properly. They were measured more rigorously this year.

And that's why, in 2026, Gavin Lux (who will start the season on the injured list, by the way) is 5'11”… even though he was listed as 6'2” in Cincinnati back in 2025.

We're going to see a lot of height changes this year because, with the rollout of ABS, MLB is now measuring each player's height down to the millimeter.

The process is super strict — no shoes, no hats, knees exposed, back against the wall — and to account for potential shrinkage… https://t.co/vcrn4hyUHa

— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) March 20, 2026

There will be quite a few cases like that this season. But the one that makes me laugh the most is Alex Bregman's. He lost an inch (a margin of error, surely) between the end of his time in Houston and his year in Boston…

And now, in Chicago, he's lost another inch. He's now listed at 5'10”, down from 6'0” in 2024.

AT THIS RATE HE WILL BE ALTUVE'S HEIGHT BY THE END OF HIS CONTRACT pic.twitter.com/HqA43bXdXf

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) March 20, 2026

I think that if the guys know they'll get a second chance at the plate if an umpire makes the wrong call, they won't care much about looking shorter on the MLB website.

It's a necessary evil.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.