MLB: Revolution! Arizona switches to artificial turf

The Arizona Diamondbacks switch to artificial turf at Chase Field. After 21 years on natural grass, the D-backs are now using a new type of artificial turf.

The team officially announced that it will install artificial turf called “B1K” in partnership with Shaw Sports Turf. The surface was specially designed for baseball and should be ready for the start of the 2019 season.

“Our baseball operations staff has done a lot of research, including a court walk and player testing, and we all agree that this is the best decision for our franchise,” says D-backs President and CEO Derrick Hall in the statement.

“Research has shown the performance and health benefits of this rubber, which has greatly influenced our decision. Additionally, this allows us to keep the roof closed during the summer months and keep Chase Field at a perfect temperature for our fans, which has become more and more difficult over the last few years.”

Hall added: “The challenge of growing natural grass in our climate and stadium is well known and we have been considering alternative solutions for years. We ultimately decided to take this step because the technology Shaw developed is the best there is. It will provide a sustainable playing surface and help our players on the field, while the experience for our fans will be improved throughout the ball park.”

As a positive side effect, the Diamondbacks also pointed to the resulting lower water consumption. The team speaks of savings amounting to around 90 percent of previous consumption – almost eight million liters of water a year are saved as a result.

The D-backs will thus be the third MLB team to play on artificial turf. The other two are the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.

This article was published without prior review by Major League Baseball.