Camden Yards Gets a Makeover: The Impact of 'Walltimore' Changes

After three seasons of batters grimacing at the expanded left-field wall in Camden Yards—affectionately dubbed “Walltimore”—the Orioles announced in November that they’d be making the dimensions a little friendlier to hitters. The updated wall will be moved between 9-20 feet closer to the plate at various points and will be 3-6 feet shorter, depending on the location. This change comes after realizing that the initial expansion may have been an overcorrection. Baltimore general manager Mike Elias stated, “It became clear to us and me and our staff, our coaches, our players, the feedback we received over three years of lived experience that it was a directionally correct move, but we overcorrected.” While it's not the original wall that stood through the 2021 season, it's also not the towering Walltimore setup—it's a compromise between the two.
​
Naturally, this adjustment has become a hot topic among players. Free agent signee Tyler O’Neill, a right-handed pull-side slugger, said, “I think it’s good for guys like me, obviously.” Statcast data supports this sentiment, showing that Ryan Mountcastle lost 11 homers due to the previous wall change. However, it's important to note that the change had its benefits too—former Orioles pitcher Cole Irvin was spared from the damage of 10 more dingers. With yet another change in the books, the question now is: What impact will this version of the park have? Only time will tell as we wait to see how the new dimensions will affect gameplay in the upcoming season.