Every pitch matters.
That might be a simplistic analysis but it’s the basic premise of Statcast’s Run Value system, which helped determine some of the top pitches of the first half of the 2024 season. Run values look at the run impact of an event based on the runners on base, outs, ball and strike count. Why use run values when looking at the top pitches?
When you’re using whiff rate, you’re only looking at pitches that were swung at. When you’re looking at batting average or wOBA, it’s only looking at pitches that decided a plate appearance. Even strikeouts are just a subset of pitches thrown with two strikes that got a certain result. Run value essentially puts a positive or negative impact on every pitch and adjusts for the context — like how many runners were on base or what the count was.
These are eight of the best individual pitch types in the Majors as of the All-Star break, along with the run value they’ve provided. Since it was a close call, or even a tie, on many pitches, there was a preference for pitches that had good underlying numbers (whiffs, wOBA) or similar results in fewer pitches thrown.
All stats are entering Friday’s games.
Cade Smith (CLE), four-seamer (+16 Run Value)
Runner-up: Reynaldo López (ATL)
Smith’s fastball isn’t just the best four-seamer according to Run Value — it was the best overall pitch in the first half. Smith’s four-seamer doesn’t appear overly dominant based on its 95.8 mph average velocity, but he commands the pitch at will in the upper quadrant to his arm side. Throwing it 68.1 percent of the time, Smith’s four-seamer has produced an elite 39.3 percent strikeout rate and is tied for most four-seam strikeouts (46) among relievers, while opposing hitters have a measly .492 OPS against.
