The 2022 World Series turned on the most important element of hitting today. The defining moment arrived in the fourth inning of Game 5: The series stood tied at two games, and the game stood tied at one run. The series would diverge depending on which team scored the next run. Astros rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña stepped into the box against Phillies starter Noah Syndergaard.
What happened next defines how much the classic pitcher-batter confrontation has changed and how teams evaluate what makes a great hitter has changed. For a hundred years the fastball was the ultimate measuring stick. Pitchers tested rookies on whether they could hit “major league velocity.” They established their fastball so they could blend in their appropriately named “secondary” pitches. They threw challenge fastballs when behind in the count.
No more. These are the new rules of engagement:
