The Grapefruit and Cactus League schedules are in full swing, prompting a reflection on the previous season with the annual 'Best Pitches' series. This analysis delves into the arsenals of starting pitchers who logged 135 or more innings, evaluating the effectiveness of their pitches based on bat-missing and contact management metrics.
Among the pitches scrutinized, sliders emerged as a complex yet impactful weapon on the mound. With a 14.9% whiff rate, second only to splitters, and a respectable 98.2 Adjusted Contact Score, sliders proved to be a formidable offering in the pitchers' repertoire. A total of 63 pitchers met the criteria for pitch evaluation.
