US EditionIn an era prizing velocity, more than 20,000 curveballs a year have disappeared from MLB
UNITED STATES, JUL 14 – Curveball usage fell from 10.7% in 2019 to 8.5% in 2025 as pitchers focus on higher fastball velocity and shorter outings, MLB data shows.
- Major League Baseball has seen a decline of over 22,000 curveballs thrown in 2024 compared to five years earlier, with curves now only 8.5% of pitches this season.
- This decline follows a shift toward prioritizing velocity and spin, with players opting for harder-to-hit pitches and decreasing use of 12-6 curveballs due to ease of throwing sweepers and sliders.
- Starters average under 5⅓ innings this season, down from over 6⅓ innings in the 1980s, while four-seam fastball velocity reached a record 94.4 mph and pitch counts dropped from 97 to 85.7.
- Tampa Bay’s Shane Baz leads curve usage at 28.1%, yet veteran voices like Yankees adviser Omar Minaya criticize the industry for valuing throwing over pitching, reflecting a generational change in baseball strategies.
- The curveball’s reduced presence suggests a shift in pitching focus, emphasizing swing and miss with horizontal movement pitches, potentially altering the game's traditional balance between deception and velocity.
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The number of curved balls decreases by more than 20,000 per year.
·Montreal, Canada
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources51
Leaning Left13Leaning Right3Center26Last UpdatedBias Distribution62% Center
Bias Distribution
- 62% of the sources are Center
62% Center
L 31%
C 62%
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