In the final days of the regular Major League Baseball season, attention is turning to standout pitches expected to make an impact in the postseason. Several pitchers are drawing notice for specific offerings that have proven especially difficult for hitters.
Mason Miller of San Diego has emerged as one of the hardest throwers in baseball. While his fastball averages 101.2 mph, it is his slider that stands out. According to recent statistics, Miller’s slider has not allowed an extra-base hit this season and boasts a 55.2% whiff rate, second only to Fernando Cruz’s splitter. Earlier this month, Miller threw nine consecutive sliders for an immaculate inning.
Seattle’s All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz also features a dominant slider. Over half the swings against Muñoz’s slider result in misses, and opponents are batting just .103 against it—the lowest average among qualified pitches this year. After recovering from a shoulder injury in 2023, Muñoz adopted a new grip that increased downward movement by over three inches compared to previous seasons.
Abner Uribe of Milwaukee is expected to play a significant role for the Brewers as closer Trevor Megill recovers from injury. Uribe’s slider has exceptional horizontal movement and generates soft contact at one of the highest rates in baseball; its hard-hit rate is just 17%. The expected batting average against this pitch is .132.
Logan Gilbert from Seattle relies on his splitter, which opponents are hitting at just .115 with a 50% whiff rate—the fifth-best mark among qualified pitches. Gilbert’s splitter ranks highest in baseball by Stuff+, which considers velocity, movement, and spin rate.
Jhoan Duran of Philadelphia offers what Statcast describes as the most valuable splitter in baseball by Run Value (+13). Averaging 97.7 mph—making it the fastest splitter among right-handed pitchers—Duran uses it with increasing frequency alongside his four-seam fastball.
Bryan Woo (Seattle) may miss part of the postseason due to pectoral inflammation but possesses one of MLB’s top four-seam fastballs based on Run Value metrics. Batters are hitting just .153 against Woo’s fastball this year.
Boston pitcher Garrett Crochet will bring his improved sweeper into postseason play after adjusting its shape during the offseason to add vertical drop at some cost to velocity. Crochet’s sweeper now leads all left-handed starters in rating according to Stuff+ and has produced 87 strikeouts so far.
Tarik Skubal (Detroit) could feature prominently if Detroit advances; his changeup holds a +25 Run Value and is considered MLB’s most valuable pitch by that metric. It also induces a high whiff rate (47%) and features unique movement due to Skubal’s arm angle.
Cristopher Sánchez (Philadelphia) has recorded more strikeouts with his changeup than any other pitch in baseball this year (124). Its increased velocity and above-average vertical break have contributed to a .173 opponent batting average against it while generating more swings-and-misses compared to previous years.
