The 'sweeper' is here! Everything you need to know about MLB's hottest new pitch
MLB fans know the basic pitches: fastball, splitter, slider, curveball, and even knuckleball and eephus.
Now meet the sweeper, the newest novelty for fans to feast their eyes upon this season.
It has been reported that the sweeper is a new pitch being employed by some of the top pitchers in the MLB. In a year when so much has changed, from universal DH to Pitchcom technology, it is not difficult to believe another revolutionary measure has been introduced to the game we love.
What is the sweeper, and who can you expect to see throw it in the MLB this year?
The main objective of baseball is for the pitcher to confuse, discombobulate, and out-time the hitter. Due to this objective, several different pitches have been invented over the years. From the knuckleball championed by R.A. Dickey to the LaLob developed by Dave LaRoche.
Phil Maton's changing Slider shapes.
1st has a HIGHER spin rate by over 250 RPMs...
2nd one has more horizontal break (Sweeper).
It's Pitch Design. Not "sticky stuff." twitter.com/mpete3_player/… https://t.co/KtlPgnkYOj
"Phil Maton's changing Slider shapes. 1st has a HIGHER spin rate by over 250 RPMs...2nd one has more horizontal break (Sweeper). It's Pitch Design. Not "sticky stuff." - @ Rob Friedman
The newest idea is the sweeper, which is essentially an exaggerated slider. Yahoo Sports has reported that the sweeper seeks to dramatically shift horizontally, monkeying a curveball that is meant to sink.
The sweeper apparently does not represent anything new to the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, the national baseball league of Japan. San Diego Padres starter Yu Darvish, a veteran of the NPB, has begun using a more accentuated version of his slider, which is now being dubbed the sweeper.
ICYMI yesterday, breaking down Mitch Keller's new sweeper pitch ...
bit.ly/3wVEnbk
"ICYMI yesterday, breaking down Mitch Keller's new sweeper pitch ..." - @ Rob Biertempfel
Additionally, aces like Corey Kluber, Julio Urias, and Gerrit Cole have also dabbled with it. In fact, it was the pitching czars in the LA Dodgers organization who originally coined the new term, Yahoo also reported.
The New York Yankees were reportedly experimenting with the pitch toward the end of last season. At the time, it was labeled a whirly.
Like many pitches, the sweeper may not be as identifiable when watching the game as you might think. The quality of sliders and two-seam fastballs thrown in the MLB nowadays make them virtually indistinguishable.
Regardless whether or not this eclectic pitch goes mainstream, it is another fun thing for baseball fans to look out for this season!