Zack Wheeler's Effective Use of Four-Seamer and Sinker Combinations Contributes to His Excellence
With the start of spring training camps upon us, it's time to reflect on the past season and recognize the best pitches in the game. In this year's "Best Pitches" series, we'll be examining the arsenals of starting pitchers who threw 135 or more innings last season, breaking it down pitch by pitch to determine the game's best, and of course, worst offerings.
Today, we're diving into sinkers, which, along with four-seamers, are the least effective pitches in baseball. Surprisingly, despite their low performance statistics, owners of high-quality sinkers tend to be successful starting pitchers.
In 2024, only a few "A+" and "A" grade sinker artists emerged. The Astros' Hunter Brown, Phillies' Zack Wheeler, and Rockies' Ryan Feltner earned an "A+" grade, while the Mets' Sean Manaea and Dodgers' Gavin Stone received an "A" grade.
Hunter Brown, an Astros pitcher, obtained the best contact management among qualified sinkers, securing a 7th-place pitch-specific whiff rate. His average velocity, velocity, and vertical movement were all near the top of the scale, while his spin was relatively average, and horizontal movement was quite low. Brown exhibited strong effectiveness across all batted ball types with his sinker, posting Adjusted Fly Ball, Line Drive, and Ground Ball Contact Scores of 69, 60, and 62, respectively.
Zack Wheeler, a Phillies pitcher, also achieves an "A+" grade for his sinker, which tied for the third-best contact management and 5th-highest pitch-specific whiff rate. In both 2023 and 2024, both of his fastballs received "A" grades or better. Wheeler's sinker just might be the most consistently great offering in the game, with horizontal movement reaching an impressive 10.4 inches.
Ryan Feltner from the Rockies received an "A" grade for his sinker, which outperformed many in contact management and bat-missing performance. Both its velocity and spin rank at the top of the average range, while horizontal and vertical movement were lower. Feltner's grounder rate was significantly higher than the qualifiers' average of 47.7%.
Sean Manaea, a left-handed Mets pitcher, is one of the game's best bat-missers with his fastballs. Both his four-seamer and sinker whiff rates finished at the very top of the heap. Contact management, however, was not his strong suit. Manaea's sinker stands out for its significant horizontal movement, but its other characteristics were average to below.
Gavin Stone obtained an "A" grade for his sinker, which ranked 8th among qualifiers in both contact management and bat-missing performance. Its velocity, horizontal and vertical movement were average to above average, while its spin rate was quite low. Stone's contact management performance was keyed by an exceptional 73 Adjusted Line Drive Contact Score.
Although a few pitchers earned "B+" grades, the top-performing sinkers in baseball demonstrated varying levels of effectiveness. Some pitches were thrown hard with high horizontal movement, while others had different characteristics. It's an exciting tournament of pitching prowess as the best of the best continue to challenge each other.
In the 2024 "Best Pitches" series, the Dodgers' Gavin Stone was awarded an "A" grade for his sinker, showcasing above-average velocity and movement.
Despite his lower spin rate, the Rockies' Ryan Feltner also received an "A" grade for his sinker, boasting a high grounder rate compared to qualifiers.
The Houston Astros' Hunter Brown, with an "A+" grade, displayed a strong sinker across all batted ball types, achieving a top-tier pitch-specific whiff rate.
In 2024, New York Mets' pitcher Sean Manaea's sinker was noted for its significant horizontal movement, although his contact management was less impressive compared to other top-performing sinkers.
Zack Wheeler, a Phillies pitcher, received an "A+" grade for his sinker, which showcased high horizontal movement and an impressive 5th-highest pitch-specific whiff rate.
The Mets' Manaea and Dodgers' Stone were among the game's best bat-missers with their sinkers, while the Astros' Brown and Phillies' Wheeler led in contact management, securing top grades for their sinkers.
In upcoming articles, we'll continue to examine the arsenals of top pitchers and analyze their best offerings, including their sinkers, in the game of baseball.
